American Seafoods

American Seafoods Group, LLC

Company type	Private
Industry	Seafood
Founded	1988
Founder	Kjell Inge Røkke
Headquarters	Seattle , United States
Key people	Einar Gustafsson (CEO), Amy Morris (CFO), Rasmus Soerensen (Chief Commercial Officer), Inge Andreassen (President of American Seafoods Company)
Products	Alaska Pollock, Pacific (whiting) hake, Yellowfin sole, Pacific Cod products
Owner	American Seafoods Group Consolidated, LLC
Website	www.americanseafoods.com

American Seafoods Group, LLC (ASG) is a seafood company headquartered in Seattle, specializing in the operation of six substantial catcher-processor vessels that harvest and process fish within U.S. waters off Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. ASG commands nearly 45% of the U.S. Bering Sea Alaska pollock fishery market share, establishing it as the leading catcher-processor in this sector.

Ownership of ASG resides with American Seafoods Group Consolidated, LLC. The executive leadership team features CEO Einar Gustafsson, CFO Amy Morris, Chief Commercial Officer Rasmus Soerensen, and Inge Andreassen, who serves as president of the subsidiary American Seafoods Company.

History

American Seafoods Company was established in Seattle in 1988 by entrepreneur Kjell Inge Røkke. The company experienced growth after the enactment of the American Fisheries Act in 1998. It participates in the Pollock Conservation Cooperative, holding a 16.572% share of the Directed Pollock Fishery quota.

Significant developments include:

• 1999 – Acquisition of American Seafoods Company by Bernt Bodal and partners, leading to the creation of American Seafoods Group.
• 2001 – Growth in international sales; purchase of Pacific Longline Company’s freezer longliners; closure of cryoprotectant facility located in Kent, Washington.
• 2002 – Acquisition of Southern Pride Catfish Company.
• 2006 – Management buyout led by Bernt Bodal, securing controlling equity ownership.
• 2008 – Purchase of catcher-processor Highland Light; divestiture of Southern Pride Catfish Company.
• 2010 – Acquisition of Coastal Villages quota group; transfer of ownership for Pacific Longline Company and Northern Hawk; Bodal assumes majority equity stake.
• 2013 – Sale of American Pride Seafoods to High Liner Foods, Inc.
• 2017 – Appointment of Mikel Durham as CEO.
• 2022 – Einar Gustafsson named CEO.

In 2012, ASG constructed a short railway facility in Bayside, New Brunswick, utilizing a loophole within the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 to circumvent the requirement for U.S.-flagged vessels. This railway was removed in 2023 following a court decision that deemed it inconsistent with the act.

Products

American Seafoods harvests Alaska Pollock from the Eastern Bering Sea, producing whole fillet blocks, surimi derived from whole fillets and processing residues, roe, minced pollock blocks, fish oil, white fish meal, along with other secondary products such as stomachs, bone meal, fish skins, and milt. Pacific (whiting) hake is processed into Pin Bone Out (PBO), Deep Skinned (DS), and Pin Bone In (PBI) fillet blocks, surimi, headed and gutted fish, minced blocks, white fish meal, and fish oil. Yellowfin sole is processed into frozen whole round fish and headed and gutted frozen blocks. Pacific Cod products include fillet blocks, minced blocks, and headed and gutted forms.

American Seafoods fleet

Name	Length	Tonnage	Built at	Year	Engines	Power
American Dynasty	272 ft (83 m)	3471	Ulstein Hatlø, Norway	1989	2 × Bergen Diesel, BRM-8	8,000 hp (5,970 kW)
American Triumph	285 ft (87 m)	4294	Langstein Verft, Norway	1990	2 × Wärtsilä, 8R32D	8,200 hp (6,110 kW)
Northern Jaeger	336 ft (102 m)	3732	Schichau Seebeck, Germany	1990	2 × MAKM453C I-8	7,400 hp (5,520 kW)
Northern Eagle	341 ft (104 m)	4437	Ulstein Hatlø, Norway	1988	2 × Bergen Diesel, BRM-8	7,200 hp (5,370 kW)
Ocean Rover	256 ft (78 m)	4345	Langstein Verft, Norway	1990	1 × Wärtsilä V12-32	6,500 hp (4,850 kW)
Katie Ann	295 ft (90 m)	1593	Raudeberg Verft, Norway	1985	1 × Bergen Diesel KVM-18	4,500 hp (3,360 kW)

External links

• Official Corporate Website