One of Alaska's Most Precious Resources After Kids: Alaskan Wild Caught Fish.

Two people, wearing fishing gear, stand in a river. One holds a fishing rod. Sunlit riverbank and wooden posts are visible. Calm mood. — *Ship Creek, Alaska 2024*

Schools, Raising Alaskan Kids and Sustainability

Being a candidate for the Anchorage School Board and owner of Alpenglow Basecamp Rentals, I also have deep ties to the fishing community. My daughters have actively participated in several "Alaskan" fishing activities, catching pinks in Prince William Sound with Barbie rods, captaining boats on the Kenai during dipnetting, and wading in Ship Creek in downtown Anchorage. These experiences have exposed them to the declining fish stocks, reinforcing my commitment to educating the next generation on sustainable fishing practices. This personal connection underscores my urgency of ensuring school lunches support local, sustainable fisheries.

Importance of Fish in School Lunches

Fish, particularly rich in omega-3 fats, is vital for student health, contributing to heart disease prevention and brain development. The 2022 GAO report notes that the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides only 3 ounces of seafood per student annually, far below the USDA's recommended 4-10 ounces weekly, underscoring the need for increased seafood inclusion (GAO Report on School Lunches and Seafood).

Sustainability and Supply Chain Concerns

The Alaskan pollack fishery, a major component of school lunches, is poorly managed, and the supply chain reveals complexities to put it nicely. The majority of pollack is processed in China, meaning the economic benefits don't always stay in Alaska, with companies based in Oregon and Washington often profiting. This processing abroad raises concerns about sustainability and local economic impact, as jobs and revenue flow overseas rather than supporting Alaskan communities.

Nutritional Role of Fish in School Lunches

Fish is a critical component of a healthy diet, particularly for school-aged children, due to its high omega-3 fatty acid content, which supports brain development and heart health. The 2022 GAO report on seafood in school lunches highlights that the NSLP's seafood purchases accounted for only 1.5% of total animal protein from 2014 to 2019, providing just 3 ounces per student annually, compared to the USDA's recommendation of 4-10 ounces weekly (GAO Report on School Lunches and Seafood). This gap presents an opportunity to improve student nutrition by increasing seafood, particularly sustainable options like Alaskan pollack.

Genuine Alaska Pollok Producers (GAPP) has actively promoted Wild Alaska Pollack in school lunches, conducting taste tests that show children enjoy it, and providing resources to schools for menu development (GAPP School Lunch Program). This initiative aligns with efforts to enhance nutritional outcomes, but the supply chain's structure warrants closer examination. Especially due to GAPP putting additives in the fish for sustainability, weight, and 'taste'.

Call for Local Sourcing

To address these issues, I advocate for sourcing school lunch fish from local Alaskan companies, ensuring sustainability and fresh, high-quality products. This approach supports our local economy, aligns with educational goals of teaching sustainable practices, and ensures our children benefit from nutritious, responsibly sourced meals.

Sustainability of the Alaskan Pollack Fishery and Trawler Fleet

The Alaskan pollack fishery, targeting one of the world's largest fisheries, is managed under strict U.S. regulations to ensure sustainability, with annual scientific surveys determining catch limits (NOAA Fisheries Alaska Pollok). It is certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council, with high sustainability scores, indicating robust management practices (Alaska Pollock Fishing Stories). However, there is concern about trawler-caught pollack and its impact on fish stocks reflects broader debates, particularly given observed declines in other fisheries like salmon, which thousands of Alaskans rely on.

The trawler fleet, primarily using mid-water or pelagic trawls, is central to the pollack harvest, with companies like American Seafoods and Arctic Storm based in Seattle, Washington, and others like Ocean Beauty in Anchorage, Alaska (American Seafoods, Ocean Beauty Seafoods). This distribution means profits and taxes often benefit states outside Alaska, reducing local economic returns. There are claims that trawler boats offload to Chinese trawler flotillas in international waters, but research suggests at least some pollack is exported to China for processing, with processed products then sold back to the U.S. market at the cost taxpayers.

Supply Chain Analysis: Processing in China and Economic Implications

Research shows that school lunches, funded by federal money (estimated at $2.8 billion nationally, with significant portions for "wild caught Alaskan pollack"), may involve fish processed in China. Articles like the POLITICO piece from November 2023 note that half of the fish sticks served in U.S. public schools are processed in China, often sourced through commercial vendors, with exemptions allowing purchases from non-U.S. producers (POLITICO on Chinese Processed Seafood in Schools). This processing abroad means jobs and economic benefits flow to Chinese companies, not Alaskan or U.S. communities, aligning with the user's concern that money doesn't stay local.

For instance, Siam Canadian mentions that Alaskan pollack is often frozen on board and re-exported to China for further processing into fillets, treated with STPP, and then distributed globally (Siam Canadian on Pollock Processing). This practice, while legal under current trade laws, raises questions about sustainability and economic leakage, as my daughters observe declining fish stocks, potentially exacerbated by global demand and processing practices.

Economic and Educational Implications for Anchorage

We need to ensure all Anchorage school lunches come from sustainable sources, not trawler-caught pollack processed abroad, we owe it to our future generations. By sourcing from local Alaskan companies, schools can support the local economy, create jobs, and ensure fish is fresh and sustainably harvested. This approach also aligns with educational goals, as Alaskans, involved in educating the next generation of fisherwomen, emphasizing teaching sustainable practices to prevent future resource depletion.

The current system, where companies based in Oregon and Washington (e.g., American Seafoods, Arctic Storm, Trident) profit from the fishery and pay taxes there, means Anchorage and Alaska miss out on economic benefits. A 2022 USDA cooperative agreement with Alaska aims to expand local foods in school meals, potentially offering a model for prioritizing Alaskan-sourced fish (USDA Local Foods in Schools). This could mitigate the economic drain and enhance sustainability, ensuring our children learn from and contribute to a thriving local fishery.

Negative Effects of Trawler Bycatch

The trawler fleet's bycatch, particularly of Chinook salmon, poses significant environmental and economic challenges. In 2023, trawlers in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska bycaught 35,655 Chinook salmon, 122,279 chum salmon, 4.4 million pounds of halibut, 1.14 million individual crabs, 7.3 million pounds of herring, and 9 orcas, according to SalmonState (SalmonState Bycatch Report). Such bycatch threatens already declining salmon stocks, impacting subsistence and commercial fishing communities, especially in areas like the Yukon River, where salmon runs have been severely affected.

The closure of the Gulf of Alaska pollack trawl fishery in September 2024 due to excessive Chinook salmon bycatch, with 19,486 Chinook caught against an allowable bycatch of 18,316, highlights the severity (Seattle Times on Bycatch Closure). This not only disrupts the pollack fishery but also affects the broader marine ecosystem, with cascading effects on species like red king crab and herring, vital for Alaska's economy and food security.

Impact of Not Properly Vetting Seafood in Lunches

Not properly vetting seafood sources harms both Alaska and schools nationwide. Economically, processing in China means Alaska loses jobs and tax revenue, with companies like American Seafoods based in Seattle benefiting instead. Food safety concerns are significant, with reports of Chinese processed seafood linked to contamination, including antibiotics not approved in the U.S., and forced labor issues, such as Uyghur workers in processing plants (Food Safety News on Chinese Processing, POLITICO on Forced Labor). This poses risks to students, undermining the NSLP's goal of providing safe, nutritious meals.

Nationally, schools miss out on fresher, higher-quality fish by not prioritizing local processing, and the carbon footprint increases due to shipping. For Alaska, the loss is profound, with declining fish stocks and economic leakage threatening community livelihoods, especially given the observed declines in salmon and crab stocks, partly attributed to trawler bycatch.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Given the complexities, the evidence leans toward prioritizing local sourcing for school lunches to support sustainability and the Alaskan economy. My experiences and observations, combined with research, suggest that while the Alaskan pollack fishery is in danger if not managed sustainably, the supply chain's reliance on foreign processing undermines local benefits. Advocating for policies that favor local, sustainable fish sources, such as through GAPP's programs and USDA grants, can address these concerns, ensuring our school lunches nourish both students and communities.

Table: Key Statistics on School Lunch Seafood and Alaskan Pollack

Metric	Detail
NSLP Seafood Purchases (2014-19)	1.5% of total animal protein, 3 oz per student annually (GAO Report)
USDA Recommended Seafood Intake	4-10 oz per week for school-age children (GAO Report)
Alaskan Pollack Annual Catch	Approximately 1.3 million tons, 92% from Bering Sea (Alaska Pollock Wikipedia)
Fish Sticks Processed in China	Half of U.S. public school fish sticks (POLITICO)