The Alaska Fishing Industry Relief Mission (AFIRM) has identified and funded ten requests from Northern Japan fishing fleets affected by last year’s tsunamis, to deliver over USD 375,000 in donations from Alaska seafood processors and fishermen. AFIRM initiated the relief fund shortly after the March 2011 tsunami devastated the fishing communities of Northern Japan.
Seattle-based Unisea, American Seafoods, and Glacier Fish Company inspired donations from their vessel, plant and office employees and then matched them, effectively doubling the industry’s grassroots fundraising efforts. The Bering Sea crab and groundfish fleets responded with major donations collected from vessels and skippers, including a fundraiser in Hawaii featuring fishermen from the Discovery Channel’s popular Deadliest Catch TV series.
All in all, over 190 fishing and processing industry participants donated over USD 375,000 with the purpose of helping the affected fishing industry of northeastern Japan rebuild their fishing and processing infrastructure.
“American Seafoods is pleased to participate in this extremely important and worthwhile effort to provide much-needed equipment to those who continue to recover from the effects of the devastating tsunami,” said American Seafoods Company President Inge Andreassen.
