Alaska’s freezer longline fleet on Tuesday announced the formation of the Alaska Longline Cod Commission (ALCC) to enhance and promote the export of frozen-at-sea longline-caught Alaska cod.
The 26-member vessels of the ALCC represent about 70 percent of Alaska’s freezer longline fishery, which produces 70 million to 100 million pounds of cod annually. European, Asian and non-U.S. North and South America markets represent about 90 percent of the ALCC’s sales.
The ALCC will create uniformity among producers for product controls, standardization of packaging and weights and fair-trade issues. The group will also improve communication among producers.
“The ALCC looks forward to becoming a resource for the Alaska longline cod harvesters,” said Lance Magnuson, ALCC president. “The entire seafood industry benefits from the modernization of the processes that enhance the possibilities for more efficient trade while insuring that issues of food quality and safety are effectively and intelligently addressed.”
