mission

We are a federation of commercial and recreational anglers engaged in the practice of a considered kill. We believe that we can improve the value proposition of an individual fish, which is guided by the principles of ike jime and disciplined by science. Accordingly, we practice and promote the adoption of realistic, responsible, and measurable fish-harvesting methods in the service of protecting America’s grand seafood inheritance for the next generation and beyond.

Values

the american domestic seafood economy

The US is home to one of the richest, most biodiverse marine ecosystems on the planet, and the quality, type, and species of fish swimming in live form are not altogether different than the quality, type, and species of live fish swimming elsewhere in the world. Yet the paradox of our domestic seafood industry on full display: We struggle to compete against products arriving from distant countries in a marketplace that prizes “freshness.” How can that be?

From Bluefin tuna off the New England Coast to the Snappers in the Gulf to the Marlin in Hawaii and the Salmon in Alaska, these fish are as robust and glittery as anywhere on the planet – live. But the only way to ensure that the product value derived from these fish remains optimal is to understand our historical failures to protect their quality at the point of death.

We need a new generation of industry leaders in the American seafood economy.

a considered kill

There is no serious dispute that fish are vertebrate species with highly sophisticated central nervous systems, and these physiological features carry deeper implications than our culture has historically permitted. Therefore, a considered kill means the handler first assumes the responsibility to understand that a fish will experience biophysical, biochemical, and hormonal changes before, during, and after the time of death, and thereafter accepts the responsibility to mitigate the negative consequences of these changes by actively killing the fish, rather than passively allowing the fish to die, unconsidered, by asphyxiation.

tools and equipment

A considered kill is virtually impossible without access to proper tools and equipment. We are working continuously to make serious products available for purchase here in the U.S. that are keyed to the range of American species.

technique and education

A considered kill requires technique, and technique requires education. In order to avoid cheapening the meaning or value of the ike jime principles, we reject hands-on training lacking an educational component off the water.

research & science

Scientific research and the resulting data necessarily inform all handling methodologies, as well as the health of our fisheries. Research and data provide a dynamic set of guideposts for both individuals and industry.

industry & law

All stakeholders reliant upon fish and seafood for their livelihood must also rely upon their governments to make sound decisions for shared resources. Stakeholders invested in improving the quality of their products deserve direct advocacy and support before federal and state regulators alike in order to improve their participation in the seafood economies, whether domestic or foreign.

oversight & accountability

Overseeing measurable standards for quality and conduct protects the interests of skilled handlers and ensures fairness in the marketplace. While we regret the absence of robust forms of governmental oversight, we respectfully maintain our own.

food

The demand to elevate the diversity and quality of our food is not new. However, we support the burgeoning demand for seafood harvested under exacting protocols and with skilled handling techniques, whether available as a product for purchase, or as a product for home consumption.

Communities

Commercial producers invested in proper conduct must be able to achieve higher dockside prices for their harvest. This ensures not only the continued economic viability of these communities, but also the sustainability of wild fish populations currently subject to volume-based production models.

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