Alaska Seafood: Natural is Healthiest The icy waters surrounding Alaska’s 34,000 mile coastline host the most abundant and healthy seafood stocks in the world. This natural, pristine habitat hosts seafood with a lean, firm texture and superior flavor. Although Alaska is, by far, the largest state in the union, it has a population less than an average U.S. city. Owing to this small population and its remote location, Alaska hosts the cleanest and most natural marine environment of its size on earth. This environment ensures Alaska Seafood has superior flavor and texture. Pure, natural seafood as nature intended. Curiously, the quality of Alaska Seafood is also determined by what it doesn’t contain. Alaska’s marine habitats are nearly pollution-free compared to the rest of the world. Feeding on organic marine organisms, Alaska Seafood is additive-free and provides healthful, natural vitamins, minerals, nutrients and heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats. The State of Alaska recognizes seafood as a precious natural resource, and the seafood industry as a vital component of the state’s economy. Therefore, Alaska leads the nation in resource management, quality control and conservation to ensure that Alaska Seafood remains the world’s finest for future generations. Alaska Seafood: A Clean Bill of Health The State of Alaska is conducting a comprehensive testing of its seafood species for contaminants. The results of the study relating to methylmercury and other heavy metals is complete. Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski considered the new information affirming the purity of Alaska seafood to be so important that he called a press conference to announce that Alaska Seafood has a "clean bill of health." On the basis of this extensive research, as well as on the basis of research involving Alaskans who consume great quantities of seafood, the state's public health officials have advised the unrestricted consumption of Alaska seafood by everyone, including pregnant and nursing women. An article published January 9 in Science addressed contaminant levels in salmon. For ASMI information related to this article, please click here. Read the press release about Governor Murkowski's announcement. http://www.gov.state.ak.us/archive.php?id=550&type=1 Read an article by Joyce Nettleton entitled Good News: Contaminants Very Low in Alaska Fish. Learn why Alaska Seafood tested for mercury get a clean bill of health, and see research results relating to mercury from the study conducted by State of Alaska Dept. of Environmental Conservation. http://www.state.ak.us/dec/deh/animal/fm-heavymetals.htm Explore the State of Alaska's Fish Monitoring Project in greater detail, and access data from the 600 seafood samples collected. http://www.state.ak.us/dec/deh/fishsafety.htm Alaska Division of Public Health, Dept. of Health and Social Services recommends continued unrestricted consumption of fish from Alaska waters by all Alaskans, including pregnant women and young children. Read this recommendation http://www.epi.hss.state.ak.us/bulletins/docs/b2001_06.htm Due to the renewed public concern about mercury in seafood, the Alaska Division of Public Health conducted a mercury biomonitoring study, testing Alaskans who consume lots of seafood, and results support the continued unrestricted consumption of fish from Alaska waters. Learn about the biomonitoring study, and the results so far. http://www.epi.hss.state.ak.us/bulletins/docs/b2002_11.htm http://www.epi.hss.state.ak.us/bulletins/docs/b2003_20.pdf Division of Public Health also finds that PCB levels found in individual Alaska salmon are low, and are not of human health concern http://www.epi.hss.state.ak.us/bulletins/docs/b2003_28.htm Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute asked seafood nutrition expert Dr. Joyce Nettleton to provide seafood consumption guidance for pregnant women. Read her article "Straight Talk About Eating Seafood During Pregnancy." Read nutrition expert Dr. Joyce Nettleton's testimony in front of the Joint USDA/HHS 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, January 28, 2004, regarding dietary guidance about fat consumption, specifically Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA's) of the omega-3 family. You can also click here to read a one-page summary of the above testimony. Recipes Health Benefits Seafood Facts ALSO SEE: Retail Promotions Foodservice Promotions Catalog Suppliers Directory Marketline site map