The Cruise Line’s Ship Team Will Become Alaska Seafood University Certified for their Understanding of Alaska Seafood Species, Responsible Fishing Practices, and Health Benefits
Juneau, Alaska – On behalf of the nation’s largest source of wild domestic seafood, the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) announced a first-of-its kind partnership with Holland America Line, which will certify the cruise line’s dining and galley team members for their understanding of the species, benefits and responsible fishing practices of the Alaska fishing industry, via ASMI’s proprietary Seafood U® educational course.
ASMI’s Seafood U® is a short digital course that can be taken from anywhere, even a cruise ship. It provides education on the various Alaska seafood species, health benefits, fishing methods, and overall sustainability practices of the state, which supplies more than 60% of our nation’s wild seafood. Seafood U® Training for Holland America Line’s culinary teams began earlier this year, in advance of the cruise line’s 2024 Alaska season. Approximately 2,500 shipboard team members covering six ships will undergo the training.
Serving Alaska seafood on Holland America Line ships has long been part of the brand’s immersive culinary experiences and commitment to sustainability. On any Alaska cruise, the line serves more than 2,000 pounds of Alaska salmon, 1,000 pounds of Alaska cod, 800 pounds of Alaska halibut, 500 pounds of Alaska rockfish, and much more. Guests can enjoy Alaska seafood-based dishes like an Alaska salmon chop salad or roasted fennel crusted Alaska halibut.
In 2022, Holland America Line was awarded Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) certification for all six of its ships that sail to Alaska, making it the first cruise line to achieve this distinguished credential by serving only certified sustainable and traceable wild Alaska seafood.
“We’ve shared the thrill of Alaska’s glaciers and wildlife with our guests for more than 75 years and supporting sustainable fishing and local business is an important commitment for us,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “With this new step, Holland America Line has committed to not only serving fresh, sustainable seafood, but ensuring our team has the knowledge to be expert sources to our guests as we cruise Alaska’s waters.”
Wild seafood is overall preferred 4:1, with products that are clearly marked as wild, and more so with the Alaska Seafood logo, being more desirable to shoppers.1 And while the vast majority of consumers want to eat sustainably, more than 3 in 5 Americans say they’re not sure which seafood is sustainable and which isn’t.2
“We know consumers are interested in learning about how to select seafood that’s high-quality, nutritious and sustainable. ASMI’s Seafood U® is available across various industries, so that anyone involved in the seafood industry, from processors to chefs and restaurant staff to grocery store seafood departments, can better understand the value of Alaska seafood,” said Leah Krafft, Foodservice Marketing Manager at ASMI. “We’re thrilled to take this step with longtime supporter of the Alaska seafood industry, Holland America Line, and hope it can serve as an example for how other operators can easily become more knowledgeable.”
Seafood from Alaska includes five species of wild salmon, cod, halibut, wild Alaska pollock, sablefish, rockfish, sole/flounder, crab and more that are available year-round. Alaska is the only state with sustainable fishing written into its constitution and the Alaska seafood industry goes to great lengths to ensure they only harvest what the environment can support, meaning consumers can feel good about choosing seafood from the area, whether that’s on a cruise ship, from a restaurant menu or from the seafood case, freezer or shelf-stable section of the local supermarket.
The Seafood U® training course is available across industries and beneficial for staff anywhere seafood is bought, sold or served. To inquire about access to the training program, please reach out to Leah Krafft at lkrafft@alaskaseafood.org.
About Alaska Seafood:
The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) is a partnership between the State of Alaska and the Alaska seafood industry promoting the benefits of wild and sustainable Alaska seafood and offering seafood industry education. The seafood industry is Alaska’s largest basic private sector employer with more than 60 percent of all wild seafood and 99 percent of wild salmon harvested in the U.S. coming from Alaska. In addition to wild salmon, Alaska is known for its crab and whitefish varieties such as Pacific cod, sablefish, halibut, Alaska pollock, sole and rockfish – available fresh or frozen year-round. Alaska has been dedicated to sustainable seafood for more than 60 years and is the only state with a constitution that mandates all seafood be managed under the sustained yield principle. Alaska has taken a leadership role in setting the global standard for precautionary resource management to protect fisheries and surrounding habitats for future generations and leading to an ever-replenishing supply of wild seafood for markets worldwide.
