ASMI Partners with Cruise Industry to Promote Alaska Seafood
Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute is partnering with Holland America Line to promote the company’s exclusive use of Alaska seafood on its six ships bringing visitors to the 49th state.
ASMI spokeswoman Ashley Heimbigner said the partnership would include stories from harvesters and processors of Alaska seafood as well as chefs. Future programming initiatives are to include recipe development in concert with Holland America Line’s “Culinary Council,” in-destination video content, onboard Alaska seafood trivia and recipes from council Chef Ethan Stowell.
ASMI and Holland America inaugurated their partnership on July 5, with Stowell joining Alaska commercial harvesters and local leaders in Juneau to demonstrate the depth and breadth of Alaska’s seafood bounty, including five species of salmon, several varieties of whitefish and numerous varieties of shellfish, plus a presentation by Stowell of seafood cooking techniques.
Holland America officials said they purchase and serve fresh, locally sourced over 5,000 pounds of wild Alaska seafood per cruise, including salmon, Pacific cod and halibut.
Princess Cruises launched its “Wild for Alaska Seafood” program this spring, featuring an extensive menu rotation of Alaska seafood dishes as well as onboard Alaska-themed culinary events. ASMI is assisting Princess Cruises with a video project highlighting the importance of sustainability and quality to both the cruise line’s chefs and Alaska’s fishermen.
The Royal Caribbean Group meanwhile is offering a variety of wild Alaska seafood species across all of their brands and also working on ways to educate their guests about Alaska’s sustainable seafood and seafood harvesters as part of the onboard experience, she said. Royal Caribbean Group is partnering with ASMI to integrate unique Alaska seafood activities into difference aspects of the onboard programming, Heimbigner said.
The seafood industry in Alaska contributes over $5.7 billion in economic value to the state economy and over $15 billion to the national economy. Seafood is also the largest private sector employer in Alaska, adding over 62,000 jobs in 2019, according to ASMI. Holland America Line buys and serves locally sourced Alaska wild and sustainable seafood, including over 4,000 pounds of wild Alaska fish for each cruise.
Source: https://fishermensnews.com/asmi-partners-with-cruise-industry-to-promote-alaska-seafood/
