Alaska, Louisiana formalize seafood marketing partnership

Alaska and Louisiana are formalizing a partnership to market seafood together.
Alaska and Louisiana are formalizing a partnership to market seafood together.(KTUU)
Updated: Jun. 9, 2021 at 10:00 AM CDT
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JUNEAU, Alaska (KTUU) - Alaska and Louisiana, the two top seafood-harvesting states, are formalizing a relationship to market seafood together.

“Anytime you have a partnership, you’re going to raise awareness,” said Jeremy Woodrow, executive director of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. “And that’s really the goal of working with Louisiana, is raising more awareness.”

Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser of Louisiana was in Juneau on Tuesday to tour a seafood processor and cement that partnership over dinner. A goal for Nungesser and Alaska Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer is to advocate for their state’s seafood across the country.

“That’s going to be a continued effort to work together in the future,” Nungesser said. “So other lieutenant governors recognize how important fresh seafood is.”

The tour of Alaska Glacier Seafoods, Inc. saw Nungesser learn how lingcod, yellow-eyed rockfish and halibut are processed.

Jim Erickson, owner of the seafood processing plant, said the early part of the season shows reasons for optimism after a dire 2020 season.

“Near record prices to the fishermen, strong demand for the product and really good fishing — what more could you ask for?” he said.

Woodrow explained that almost 70% of seafood in the United States is eaten in restaurants. Closures during the pandemic hit a lot of fisheries hard.

But now the hope is that an economic recovery can help see consumption rebound as more people return to restaurants.

“When they go to make their seafood choices, whether that be from Alaska or Louisiana, they’re just supporting the nation’s fishermen,” Woodrow said.

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