FISHERIES COUNCILS AND COOPERATIVES
American Seafoods is an active participant in the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, and the Pacific Fishery Management Council, and it collaborates regularly with the National Marine Fisheries Service.
Additionally, American Seafoods is a founding member of the Pollock Conservation Cooperative and the Pacific Whiting Conservation Cooperative. Together with other harvesting companies, we work to improve our fisheries.
SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD CERTIFICATIONS
American Seafoods has received Chain of Custody certification from both the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and the Alaska Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) Program.
In addition to fostering a sustainable fishery, MSC and RFM certifications enhances our customers’ ability to trace our seafood products all the way back to the harvest vessel and date.
ADVANCING THE CAUSE
At American Seafoods, we’re proud of our partnerships with the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) and the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI). Together, we work on initiatives that promote sustainable fisheries and the consumption of the nutritious seafood products we make.
NOAA OVERSIGHT
Our fisheries are jointly managed by the Northwest and Alaska regional offices of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and, in the case of Wild Pacific Hake (Whiting), the Pacific Fishery Management Council. The councils are two of the eight regional management councils formed under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation Act. They are comprised of federal fisheries administrators, state fisheries agency personnel, and knowledgeable private citizens (often officers of companies involved in the harvesting and processing of the resources within that council’s jurisdiction). The councils propose quotas, called total allowable catches (TACs), and other management measures to the Secretary of Commerce. Once approved, the measures are put into regulations by the NMFS regional administrators in Alaska and the Northwest regional offices.
Learn more at FISHERIES.noaa.gov
One of the true points of differentiation between our fisheries and others around the world is our NOAA fishery observer program. Two government-approved NOAA observers are always on board our vessels while they are at sea. NOAA observers measure target catches and document all bycatch.