The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) is delighted by Tuesday’s news that Target, the United States’ No. 2 discount retailer, will sell only wild Alaska salmon.
“From what I understand, Target already has a lot of Alaska salmon, but this is an entirely new level of commitment,” ASMI spokesperson Laura Fleming told SeafoodSource on Wednesday. “It really created a lot of excitement here, at every level. From legislators to news media and people on the street talking about it. That is rewarding because people recognize that this state’s seafood promotion efforts are supporting the creation of opportunities like this, and that benefits the state and private sector and promotes economic development.”
“Especially at this time when our economy is in the doldrums and businesses are hard up, to have a success story like this for your brand and for your industry is a bright ray of sunshine,” added Fleming.
Target operates 1,744 stores in 49 U.S. states, and about 1,500 of those stores carry at least one salmon item. Target’s commitment to stop selling farmed salmon includes its private labels, Archer Farms® and Market Pantry®, and national brands. Sushi containing farmed salmon will complete the transition to wild salmon by year’s end.
“Environmental sustainability is an important priority for us at Target, and along those lines offering wild-caught Alaska salmon helps ensure that we’re selling salmon that has been sourced in a sustainable way,” Target spokesperson Amy Reilly told KTVA-TV in Anchorage, Alaska. “That helps to preserve the abundance of the species, and it doesn’t harm local habitats.”
Fleming said Target’s decision will only draw more attention to Alaska salmon and open doors for the product in the U.S. market, which relies heavily on imported product for its seafood supply.
“We are a seafood-producing nation, however, much of what we catch is exported,” she said. “The U.S. is becoming an increasingly important market for wild Alaska salmon, and with the continuing evolution of U.S. companies adopting corporate [sustainability] polices, we’ve seen more suppliers become aware of Alaska salmon as a model for sustainable fisheries management.”
Fleming added that with the increased awareness, demand will continue to rise among retailers and foodservice operators seeking seafood from sustainable sources.
ASMI isn’t the only organization pleased with the decision. Casson Trenor on Wednesday blogged on the Greenpeace Web site that Target’s decision “opened the door to a new era of seafood.”
“We need courage, innovation and foresight if we are to create a wise and responsible seafood industry that can steward our oceans in the coming decades, and it’s companies like Target that are leading the charge,” said Trenor.
