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EnglishWhat Types of Seafood Does Alaska Produce?
Updated
Alaska produces four broad categories of commercial seafood: five species of salmon, several varieties of whitefish, and numerous types of crab and shellfish. The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI), the state's official seafood marketing arm, groups them this way on alaskaseafood.org and notes that each species has unique attributes, so the right choice depends on the flavor and texture you want. The site's species exploration page is the place to compare them in detail.
The four main categories
| Category | What it includes | Typical character |
|---|---|---|
| Salmon | Five species | Rich, distinct flavor profiles that vary by species |
| Whitefish | Several varieties | Generally milder and leaner than salmon |
| Crab | Numerous types | Sweet, firm shellfish meat |
| Shellfish | Numerous types beyond crab | Briny, varied textures |
ASMI's summary is deliberately broad: "five species of salmon, several varieties of whitefish, and numerous types of crab and shellfish." The site does not publish a single fixed list of every species on its homepage, so treat the categories above as the organizing framework rather than an exhaustive inventory.
How to choose by taste and cooking style
Because the site frames the categories around "every taste and preference," a practical way to narrow down is to start from what you plan to cook:
- Want a bold, recognizable flavor? Start with salmon, where the five species give you room to compare.
- Prefer something milder? Whitefish varieties are the category to explore.
- Looking for sweet, firm meat for a board or a special meal? Crab and shellfish cover that ground.
ASMI's own recipe examples show how the categories translate into dishes: a 15-minute Alaska salmon peanut sauce bowl, a one-pot Pacific sole (flounder) pasta, and a "sea-cute-rie" board built on tinned or canned wild salmon. Those three recipes map onto salmon, whitefish, and shelf-stable salmon respectively, which is a useful signal of how the categories behave in real cooking.
Where to go next on the site
- Explore Alaska's Species — the dedicated page for comparing species and their attributes.
- Cook with Alaska Seafood and Quick and Easy Recipes — recipe collections organized around the categories.
- Health & Nutrition — background on the nutritional side of these species.
- Buy Alaska Seafood and Shop for Alaska Seafood — entry points for purchasing, including a supplier section.
The site also publishes weekly salmon harvest updates prepared by McKinley Research Group on ASMI's behalf, which is relevant if you want current information specifically about salmon supply rather than a general species overview.
A note on scope
ASMI's role is marketing Alaska's seafood resource, so its species content is promotional in tone as well as informational. The homepage gives the category structure and recipe applications but not a full species-by-species comparison; for that level of detail, go directly to the species page rather than relying on the summary above.