Thursday, May 13, 2010

National Seafood Marketing Coalition to Form Regional Marketing Boards

A National Seafood Marketing Coalition is forming and holding informational meetings with fishermen, processors, and other seafood industry groups across the U.S., seeking support for the creation of a national seafood marketing program administered by Regional Marketing Boards and funded by U.S. duties on imported seafood. 

The basic idea is to invest a portion of the duties on imported seafood into the marketing of U.S. seafood.  Broad and sustained marketing over time will grow demand for seafood, increase its value, grow the economy, increase jobs related both directly and indirectly to the industry, and increase tax revenues across local, regional, state and federal levels. 

The idea was initiated by the United Fishermen of Alaska (UFA) and is getting good support from around the USA. Other groups have joined with UFA in actively promoting the concept and are helping with the outreach.

Nine Regional Seafood Marketing Boards are to be established in order to include all U.S. seafood producers which would include mariculture and aquaculture. Eight boards would mirror the 8 Regional Fishery Management Councils authorized by the Magnuson‐Stevens Act. The 9th Board would represent inland domestic seafood production. Marketing activities of each Board would be directed toward seafood caught or products produced in each region.

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