American Seafoods Group, one of the world’s largest at-sea processors of wild Alaska pollock and wild Pacific hake, has published its annual sustainability report. The report details the company’s continued advancement of its environmental and social responsibility efforts as it innovates and sustainably harvests fisheries. American Seafoods is the first Alaska seafood company to release its sustainability report in 2024.

“I am absolutely thrilled with the progress American Seafoods has made with achieving key sustainability metrics as we remain at the forefront of innovation in our industry,” said Einar Gustafsson, CEO of American Seafoods. “We have a deep appreciation of the marine environment and a key understanding of the importance of sustainably managing our fisheries. These pillars are the very foundation of our success, and we look forward to pushing our efforts even further to help build a cleaner and healthier planet for all. In addition to the significant progress that our team made on the environmental front, I am equally proud of our team’s continued dedication to supporting our invaluable crew, the local communities in Alaska and our broader industry.”

Chief Sustainability Officer of American Seafoods, Tim Fitzgerald, said, “I am very excited about the sustainability trajectory that American Seafoods is on, and this report is just the latest addition to our company’s rich history.”

Fitzgerald said, “American Seafoods predicates itself on an unwavering commitment to the science-based management of our fisheries, continuous improvement of our vessels’ efficiencies and our longstanding commitment to third party certifications and full traceability. The bottom line is that at American Seafoods, sustainability is central to everything that we do. While we are proud of our achievements, we know there is always more to be done. American Seafoods profoundly understands that responsible and conservative natural resource management is the predominant driver of long-term success for our business. We will continue to lead on this front.”

Access the 2023 Sustainability Report here.

Highlights for 2023

• Maintained 100% third-party eco-certification for all American Seafoods catch.
• Achieved a 99% target catch rate in the Alaska pollock fishery, which is nearly a 1% increase from the year prior.
• Further demonstrated that harvesting wild Alaska pollock and wild Pacific hake result in a fraction of the carbon emissions compared to tofu, chicken, pork and beef.
• Produced 354,037 gallons of fish oil biodiesel, avoiding 227 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.
• Recycled more than 86,000 pounds of end-of-life and recovered ghost fishing gear.
• Donated more than $525,000 to Alaska communities, food banks and academic institutions.

Fitzgerald said, “Moving forward our sustainability roadmap will continue to expand beyond the performance of these fisheries into more ambitious goals around carbon, plastics and waste and transparent public reporting. Our industry has always pushed the envelope on sustainability initiatives, and these areas are ripe for further innovation. American Seafoods is ready to lead the way.”

Source: American Seafoods Group