First announced on May 31, 2024
After more than ten years of dedicated effort to support Alaska’s small-scale fisheries, Alaska Marine Conservation Council has made the difficult decision to pause its social enterprise, Catch 49, in June.
This decision was not made lightly, but closing the brick-and-mortar store in Anchorage and discontinuing Fairbanks distributions are necessary steps as we assess the best way to serve our community moving forward. We, as well as all local, national and global seafood markets, continue to grapple with the challenges of sustained inflation and product surpluses, and unfortunately market forces have forced our small nonprofit organization to consider different approaches to supporting the people and infrastructure that make local seafood consumption a reality for more Alaskans. At the end of this email is a list of local seafood businesses we encourage you to support moving forward.
We assure you that the goals and values of Catch 49 will continue to be prioritized within AMCC. Our commitment to supporting local fishermen and ensuring Alaskan families have access to sustainably sourced seafood remains steadfast. We anticipate these values taking new shape within AMCC’s ongoing programs, and look forward to remaining a partner to Alaska’s working waterfronts.
Should you have any questions, please reach out to us at fish@akmarine.org.
Thank you to our Catch 49 Director
We wholeheartedly thank Catch 49’s Director, Katy Rexford, for her 7 years of service to Catch 49 and Alaska’s small-scale, high-quality fisheries. Katy's contributions to Catch 49 have been substantial for fishermen, small processors and seafood eaters statewide. Please join us in thanking Katy for her dedication our mission. If you'd like to reach her personally, you can contact her here.
Please support these local seafood businesses!
Our pristine fish has been sourced from many of the businesses you see below. You'll continue to enjoy quality local seafood with these businesses:
Emerald Isle Seafoods, Kodiak
Arctic Harvest Deliveries, Anchorage
Kodiak Island WildSource, Kodiak
60° North Seafoods, Cordova
Drifters Fish, Cordova
Straight to the Plate, Girdwood
Kenai-Red Fish Company, Ninilchik
Wild Kodiak Seafoods, Kodiak
Alaskans Own, Sitka
North Soul Salmon, Palmer
Copper Valley Fish Collective, Anchorage
And many more! Visit www.localcatch.org to find local seafood suppliers near you and your family who share our values across North America.
Thank you to our community partners
Our thank-yous are too enumerable to list, but we couldn't have done what we have without you. Our incredible volunteers (Darcy, Madeline, Aurora, Amanda, Lisa, Jen, Ray, so many more:), supporters, distribution partners (Fairbanks Grocery Co-op, Beaver Sports, Northern AK Environmental Center), fishermen, community processors, local foods compatriots, travel and transport friends who came to know and support us in unique and critical ways, local businesses, friends and advocates who lifted us up and brought us ice cream on those long rainy distribution days...THANK YOU! We will carry on this work together in the next iteration.
Onward!
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