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1)  What is the Alaska Fisheries Marketing Board (AFMB)?

The AFMB is a private, non-profit organization that was created under Federal statute.  Its leadership is comprised of eleven board members, appointed by the Secretary of Commerce, representing a wide range of expertise in the seafood industry.  Its mission is to serve as a catalyst to market, develop, and promote Alaska seafood and improve related technology and transportation.  

2)   What is the source of the AFMB funding?

The funds utilized by the AFMB were appropriated by Congress.  These funds did not come from taxes paid by Americans.  The funds originated from duties imposed on the importation of foreign seafood products collected under the Saltonstall-Kennedy (S-K Act), which was enacted in 1954 to assist the U.S. fishing industry.  Imported seafood products compete directly with U.S. fishery products and the S-K Act provides that a portion of the duties collected will be made available as direct industry grants to assist U.S. fisheries to expand domestic and foreign markets.  Congress directed the AFMB to use a portion of these funds to market Alaska seafood.

3)   What types of grants are available? 

Three basic types have been available in the past:  

a)      Formula-based grants:  The formula allocation program puts grant funds directly into the hands of individual companies to market, promote their seafood products, develop new products, and expand their markets.  It is the AFMB’s view that each individual company should decide what works best for them and their products in the market place.  

The formula program is an innovative, performance-based allocation for marketing Alaska seafood, with guidelines set by the AFMB.  It is based upon the amount of salmon purchased from Alaskan fishermen by processors operating in Alaska.  The formula is based on each processor’s percentage of total pounds of Alaska salmon purchased and processed.  

b)   Request for Proposal (RFP): The RFP process is based on new or unique measures a company or an individual may want to initiate to promote the sale of Alaska seafood.  Each year, applicants may submit their innovative and creative proposals for developing new products, and/or initiating new marketing avenues.  The AFMB establishes criteria for the types of projects that will be considered.

c)  Projects Meriting Special Consideration:  This category is for projects that do not comport with the formula or RFP requirements; however, it still benefits the entire industry.  An example of a project funded under this category was the painting of an Alaska Airlines passenger jet, “Salmon thirty salmon."  

4)  How are RFPs evaluated?

When it is received, each proposal is reviewed for how it complies with the criteria of the RFP.  The proposals are then ranked, and lower scoring applications are eliminated in the process.  The AFMB Board members determine the amount awarded to each successful applicant based on how the proposal complies with the intent of the RFP and the mission of the AFMB.  

5)  How are grants managed and monitored?

Upon receipt of a project marketing plan, it is reviewed for compliance to the program guidelines.  The plan must contain a clear itemized budget on how the funds will be distributed for project completion.  After approval of the marketing plan, 90% of the grant award is distributed.

Throughout the remainder of the year, two periodic reports are required from each award recipient which outlines the project status to date.  If there is a deviation from the original marketing plan, the deviation must be noted and defended.  

Finally, upon receipt of a detailed final report which includes a detailed final budget and copies of all receipts expended to reach program completion, the final 10% of the grant award will be distributed.

Each required submittal is carefully reviewed.  Each submittal is summarized by non-industry personnel.  All proprietary information is eliminated and the summary is then returned to the applicant for approval (if requested) to assure confidentiality, before the year-end report is submitted to the board for review.  Please note that the original reports remain intact for contracted and/or federal audit purposes only. 

6)  What are the 2006 allocations? 

The 2006 awards and allocations have been made.  They can be viewed on the Allocations page.   

7)  Has money ever been returned?

We have had awards to three entities returned.  In each case, the return of grant funds was due to the grantees inability to proceed with their marketing plan goals and objectives.  

A total of $473,825.02 has been returned to the AFMB.  We are then able to roll this money back into the available funds to provide to other grant applicants.  

8)  What has the AFMB accomplished? 

Since its inception in 2004, AFMB has made significant contributions to the effort to market, develop, and promote Alaska seafood which have benefited the seafood industry, the Alaska economy, and all those who earn their living catching, processing, distributing, and marketing this valuable resource.  

Some of our key accomplishments include the following projects.  

a)  Promoted the development of new products such as: 

• salmon dog treats

• omega-3 rich salmon oil for human consumption

• value-added products such as salmon burgers and hot dogs

• reconstituted salmon fillets from trimmings

• salmon jerky

• Alaska pollock school lunch products 

b)  Funded the first-ever herring marketing program in Japan.  

c)  Funded the painting of an Alaska Airlines 737 passenger jet to promote wild Alaska seafood, “Salmon-thirty-Salmon.”

d)  Implemented a performance-based allocation reflecting the volume of salmon purchased from Alaska fishermen. This allowed marketing/promotional funds to go directly to individual companies throughout Alaska’s fishing industry.  

e)  Funded the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers to undertake proactive marketing, education and product development of Alaska Pollock.  

f)   Funded the development of mobile educational programs for ages 5–20 detailing the sustainability of Alaska seafood harvesting, processing, distribution, and consumption.  Also, the program discusses the life cycle and management of commercial species.  

g)   Funded the first-ever “chain of custody tags” program for Alaska salmon, which tracks the salmon throughout its commercial cycle of harvest, processing, and distribution.  These “tags” detail who the fisherman is, where and when the salmon was caught, and who processed the salmon.  

h)   Created the opportunity for processors to exercise new and creative marketing programs to open new markets and expand existing markets in the U.S., British Commonwealth, Europe, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Asia.  

i)   Funded innovative marketing programs through the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, such as “Cook it Frozen” and other consumer programs.  Funded the development of written promotional materials about Alaska seafood.  

j)  Created opportunities for small and medium-sized Alaska seafood companies to market their products via radio, television, and print media ads.  Stimulated website development and online ordering capability.  Funding encouraged national and international trade show participation.  

9)  How long are board members' terms? 

Each board member is appointed for a three year term.  They can be reappointed to successive terms by the Secretary of Commerce.  

10)   How can the Executive Director be a federal employee?

Public Law 108-447, section 206 (2) states that, ”...the Secretary may appoint, assign, or otherwise designate as Executive Director an employee of the Department of Commerce, who may serve in an official capacity in such position, with or without reimbursement, and such appointment or assignment shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege…”   

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Alaska Fisheries Marketing Board
725 Christensen Drive, Suite 4 -- Anchorage, Alaska  99501

Updated 06NOV20