June 25, 2021 (Anchorage, AK) – Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy today announced the distribution of $3 million CARES Act funds for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI). The grant is intended to mitigate unanticipated COVID-19 costs including response to the pandemic and meeting COVID-19 safety precautions.
“Alaska’s seafood industry is a strong pillar of our economy and my administration is committed to supporting ASMI’s urgent and substantial need following unplanned industry-wide COVID-19 costs,” said Governor Dunleavy. “No one does seafood like the Last Frontier, with its world-class stocks of fresh, nutritious, and wild protein. Our fleets have weathered the storm of COVID, now it’s time to keep delivering a piece of Alaska on a dish around the globe.”
ASMI is a public-private partnership between the State of Alaska and the Alaska seafood industry established to foster economic development of a renewable natural resource. The organization actively works to promote the Alaska seafood industry supply chain including fishermen, processors, communities, transportation, state and federal agencies, international trade, distribution, foodservice, retail, e-commerce, food delivery, and consumers – all areas of which have been negatively impacted by COVID-19. The industry directly employs 26,000 Alaskan residents.
“I thank Governor Dunleavy for recognizing the importance of Alaska’s seafood to the state economy,” said Jeremy Woodrow, ASMI Executive Director. “The CARES funding to ASMI is critical to cover the additional expenses incurred when the marketing focus had to shift, literally overnight, due to the effects and response to COVID-19 in order to retain the value of Alaska’s global brand. This grant will help preserve Alaska seafood’s strong and highly sought after position in the world marketplace.”
The CARES Act funding from Congress and authorized by the Alaska Legislature in 2020 is set to expire at the end of June. Additional CARES Act distributions will continue to be announced in the coming days.
###
