ALFA’s Regional Food Systems Partnership Final Summary Report Released
Guest Blog By Natalie Sattler, Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association
In 2020 during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association (ALFA) and its partner organization, the Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust (ASFT), saw an urgent need and opportunity to help local families and fishermen struggling with food security and seafood markets and created a seafood donation program. Using its experience distributing seafood through its Alaskans Own Community Supported Fishery, ALFA was able to navigate complex distribution logistics and draw on its network of partners throughout the seafood supply system. During this time ALFA started to distribute wild Alaska seafood to food-insecure households, tribes, and social service organizations around Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Since then, ALFA and ASFT have deployed more than $2.6 million to purchase and deliver more than 650,000 donated seafood meals to individuals and families facing food insecurity in more than 20 communities around Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.
ALFA Seafood Distribution Network Asset Map
These seafood distributions were made possible with the generous support of ALFA’s network of funders and partners - what they call the Seafood Distribution Network. The network includes leaders in the seafood industry, transportation sector, tribes, foundations, and non-profit organizations. Thanks to their expertise, resources, and passion we have been able to build a more equitable and resilient seafood supply chain that better serves the needs of local communities.
From 2021-2023 with funding from the USDA Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP) program, ALFA conducted a 2-year planning process for its seafood distributions. The RFSP planning grant process helped to identify sustainable and scalable strategies for its future seafood distribution work. With the guidance of a Steering Committee that included representatives from the seafood industry, tribes, and social service organizations around Alaska and the Northwest, ALFA’s planning process entailed an evaluation of its past seafood distributions, an assessment of regional seafood security and seafood industry workforce training needs, a feasibility study looking at seafood distribution hubs, and a proposed 10-year work plan and budget for ALFA and the Seafood Distribution Network. Throughout the RFSP planning process, ALFA and its partners had to balance short-term food security needs with long-term planning. As a result, the planning process relied heavily on direct experiences and learning in real-time about local community needs and preferences, and piloting several different seafood distribution methods to help meet those needs.
Smokehouse and sockeye donation deliveries in Holy Cross. Courtesy of photographer, Acacia Johnson
Out of the completion of the 2-year RFSP planning process, ALFA is now excited to share its key findings and recommendations in the RFSP Summary Report. By sharing what they have learned and future plans with others, ALFA hopes to bring more awareness and support for work being done in local communities around Alaska to address seafood insecurity and community resiliency.
““I would participate in the seafood donation program again. This program provided extra food for
our people to help nourish their bodies through the fall and winter,” ”
Smokehouse in and sockeye donation deliveries in Holy Cross. Courtesy of photographer, Acacia Johnson
One of the biggest takeaways from the RFSP planning process was the opportunity to establish a more formalized Seafood Distribution Network in Alaska. ALFA heard repeatedly from its RFSP Steering Committee members that there needs to be more coordination and collaboration amongst those working to address food security and community resiliency, especially in Alaska’s rural communities. While ALFA has been coordinating its own network of partners to support its seafood donations, there is an opportunity and shared desire to formalize and expand this network and help define specific roles and structures for a potential Alaska Seafood Distribution Network.
While ALFA does not currently have funding to launch and sustain the Seafood Distribution Network, they are deeply committed to continuing our work in this space and uplifting the communities most impacted by seafood insecurity. ALFA will be turning our attention to the following next steps:
Jenny Bennis and daughter on Kanakanak Beach collecting subsistence sockeye salmon for seafood distributions in Yukon and Chignik villages. Courtesy of Ben Blakely
READ THE FULL REPORT
Seek funding and long-term revenue sources to support pilot seafood distribution projects and the development of a sustainable, comprehensive, and responsive Seafood Distribution Network that increases Alaska’s food security through regionally harvested and processed foods.
Continue to talk and work with existing partners to share, learn, and collaborate on collective efforts to support local seafood security and community resiliency.
Welcome new partners into the Seafood Distribution Network and “set a big table” for learning and collaboration.
LEARN MORE, GET INVOLVED:
If there’s one thing that ALFA learned from our RFSP planning process, it is that seafood security is a highly complex issue that no single entity can solve on its own. Thankfully, there are many organizations, tribes, and communities working incredibly hard to address seafood security needs around Alaska and there is tremendous opportunity for collaboration and coordination. Therefore, ALFA encourages others to get involved in the Seafood Distribution Network and welcome the chance to work together. Using what it learned through the RFSP planning process, ALF, and its partners will continue to explore what a potential Alaska Seafood Distribution Network could look like and work to secure the funding and resources needed to make it a reality.
Learn more on ALFA’s Seafood Distribution Network website.
Linda Behnken, ALFA Executive Director, alfafishak@gmail.com
Natalie Sattler, ALFA Program Director, program.director@alfafish.org
Based in the small, coastal fishing town of Sitka on the ancestral homelands of the Tlingit people, the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association (ALFA) has been working since 1978 to represent small-boat, hook-and-line fishing families and secure sustainable access to Alaska halibut, sablefish, and rockfish. This work includes the Fishery Conservation Network, fishery access and management, climate change, young fishermen development, and crew training and more recently addressing seafood insecurity.
