Alaska Seafood leads the way in sustainability

Sponsored article: Alaska is well-known for its snow-covered mountains, diverse wildlife, ageless glaciers and exceptionally green summertimes, but the state is also a world-class model for sustainability.

Leaders in sustainability

Fishing in Alaska is not only a source of income, but a way of life. Sustainable fishing was written into the constitution in 1959 and since then, Alaska has pioneered science-based practices that serve as the gold standard around the world. Recent Alaska Seafood UK shopper research, carried out in association with Kantar, found that 71% of people surveyed trust Alaska Seafood. A further 67% of people thought sustainability was important when purchasing fish and 46% of people highlighted that they try to buy sustainably.

It’s no secret that there has been greater emphasis on fishing sustainably in recent years. The Alaskan people know they cannot preserve their heritage without enforcing sustainability and using practices that aim to ensure there will always be more fish to catch in the future. Alaska’s success relates to two basic principles: responsible fisheries management and sustainable fishing practices protect marine life and take care not to harm the fish, while fish populations are never overfished.

Not only do Alaska pride themselves on sustainable fishing, they have been recognised for it too. Many of Alaska’s fisheries are certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and the Alaska Responsible Fisheries Management (FRM) programme. Alaskan Communities are dedicated to upholding Alaska’s strict fishing laws and have never had a species of commercially harvested seafood on the endangered species list. You can trust Alaska.

A thriving environment

With its remote location and small population, Alaska has some of the cleanest and most natural marine environments on earth. Many communities’ ways of life depend on healthy wild fish stocks, which is why over 40 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), covering hundreds of thousands of square miles, have been established to safeguard the habitat from human activity.

Everything Alaskans do is dedicated to preserving the delicate Alaska marine ecosystem; this not only ensures marine habitats remain protected, but preserves the ecosystem for other species including whales, sea lions and birds. Alaskans care about the environment.

Every aspect of fishing in the region is based on the latest scientific data. As new research emerges, the scientists of Alaska’s fisheries set new guidelines for the total number of fish that can be caught. Alaska ensures there will always be plenty of fish in the sea, season after season, year after year.

Packed full of nutrition

Seafood has long been a delicious source of vitamins and nutrients vital to a healthy heart, mind and body. It’s no surprise that seafood from Alaska is packed full of high-quality protein, essential micronutrients and healthy fats.

Alaska Seafood is loaded with essential amino acids, helping the human body in the repair and maintenance of muscles. Very few foods contain the number of vitamins and minerals found in seafood and Alaska seafood is no different. It contains Vitamin D, Vitamin B-12 along with zinc, iron, calcium and selenium. Alaska Seafood is also low in both total fat and saturated fat, making it the perfect lean protein source. In fact, Alaska pollock and cod are fat free.

For more information on Alaska Seafood, visit the website or follow Alaska Seafood on Twitter at @AlaskaSeafoodUK or on Instagram at @alaskaseafooduk