ANCHORAGE, Alaska — August 24, 2012 — U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, along with dignitaries in the seafood industry from across the nation, gathered at Copper River Seafoods in Anchorage today. Sen. Begich plans to introduce legislation that will create a national seafood marketing and development effort built to increase value and create jobs within the American industry.
Sen. Begich's proposal was drafted by a nationwide seafood coalition and is supported by more than 70 fishing groups spanning the Atlantic to the Pacific, along with the Great Lakes and Gulf of Mexico. Begich notes the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute as an inspiration for the bill.
The National Seafood Marketing Program strives to highlight U.S. produced and harvested seafood, to distinguish American seafood from foreign fish and to ensure sustainable fisheries. Sen. Begich said this legislation is similar to the Travel Promotion Act but is aimed at seafood.
"We market so many things internationally, but our seafood product we don't market in a national way to the international markets, and so this will take us to a new level," said Sen. Begich.
The legislation authorizes $50 million annually for the promotion. Begich said it plans to find funding from other sources over time.
"The idea is not to promote this at the taxpayers expense, but within our own industries and our own ability as we've done with the tourism industry," said Sen. Begich.