The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) announced it has secured over $4.5 million in federal Market Access Program (MAP) funding to increase its international marketing efforts.

Provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, MAP funds share costs of overseas marketing and promotional activities with participating groups like ASMI that match the money.

“These funds, like most other federal grants received by ASMI, must be used for international purposes, and are extremely welcome as the Alaska seafood industry emerges from the current global market collapse that has put incredible financial pressure on Alaska communities, fishermen, fishing families, processors, and seafood businesses,” according to a statement from the institute.
 
“The timing of the new federal funds is well-aligned with the Alaska seafood industry’s needs to combat numerous global economic pressures,” said Nicole Alba, ASMI’s international marketing director. The USDA funding comes amid continuing turbulence in the marketplace and could also help Alaska fishermen reclaim some space from Russian fish exports, hampered by sanctions since the war in Ukraine.

“While these funds will help ASMI grow our international efforts, they will also allow ASMI to direct the Alaska seafood industry contribution as well as state funds toward the U.S. market, where significant opportunity exists due to the Russian seafood ban. We look forward to this opportunity to help grow the Alaska Seafood brand and increase demand around the world,” said Alba. “The ASMI International team has done a tremendous job to secure federal funds at a time of incredible need for the Alaska seafood industry.”
 
When combined with other federal funds received for marketing Alaska seafood internationally, these additional federal funds bring the total received by ASMI in the current fiscal year to over $17.5 million. In the past five years, ASMI says it has been awarded over $40 million in federal funds to market Alaska seafood internationally.