Press Release *** For Immediate Release *** Press Release

Fish Witches, Chefs Launch
Alaska Seafood's "Cook it Frozen"

Juneau, Alaska. Nov. 19, 2003. The launch of the Cook it
Frozen initiative by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute
(ASMI) has tapped a variety of talents, from professional
chefs to the Fish Witches: a team of women seafood marketers
who have shared their Alaska commercial fishing experiences
with audiences across the country.

ASMI launched the Cook it Frozen initiative to dovetail with
the increase in branded or private label seafood lines being
offered by U.S. retailers, most of which feature convenient,
portioned items.

ASMI hires the Fish Witches team to conduct demonstrations
of how to prepare frozen Alaska seafood and Alaska canned
salmon at large events such as Women's Shows, that draw an
average of 25,000 people per show; they appeared at six such
shows in one month this fall. ASMI often partners with
retail grocery stores in the show city, to further promote
the products.

Professional chefs like "Chef Mike" Monahan, founder of
Chefs USA, also help ASMI educate consumers about how easy
it is to make a great-tasting Alaska seafood dinner using
frozen product. Chef Mike conducts demonstrations supporting
ASMI promotions in grocery stores in the Southeastern U.S.,
and has noted that his customers are astonished at the
delicious flavor experience offered by frozen Alaska salmon
portions. The cooking demonstrations spur product sales, and
help build the Alaska Seafood brand.

This fall, ASMI arranged Cook it Frozen promotions in 1,823
stores, representing 12 different chains. Stores featured
various Alaska Seafood species, including salmon, halibut,
cod, and pollock. ASMI conducted research on the best
cooking methods for frozen seafood, and then developed new
recipes and materials offering foolproof tips on how to
prepare a great-tasting, healthy Alaska Seafood meal in
minutes. The Cook it Frozen brochure includes preparation
instructions, three recipes, and an explanation of how
high-technology freezing maintains seafood quality and seals
in fresh-caught flavor; a new recipe leaflet includes five
recipes. Cook it Frozen recipes and cooking tips are also
available on the ASMI website, www.alaskaseafood.org.

For more information please contact Laura Fleming, (907)
465-5563, during Fish Expo, (907) 723-7340.

Fish Witch Erika Currier will be at the ASMI booth, #1917,
at Fish Expo, on Saturday, from 2 pm to 4 pm. The Fish Witches include Tomi Marsh (owner and Captain of the Alaska crabber F/V Savage), Erika Currier (commercial fisheries journalist and commercial fisher from Southeast Alaska), and Ruthie Leonard.

A video documenting a few of Chef Mike's many Alaska Seafood cooking demonstrations is being displayed at the ASMI booth, #1917, at Fish Expo.