Alaska Sea Grant shines at D.C. fish fry

Alaskan cod and rockfish don’t generally stray out of the state’s waters, but a select few of them recently made it all the way to Washington D.C. 

The two Alaskan delicacies topped the menu as Alaska Sea Grant representatives Chris Sannito and Rachel French manned the organization’s booth at the 2026 NOAA Great American Fish Festival. The event was held June 3 at the U.S. Department of Commerce near the National Mall.

“The event really showcases how awesome our fish are up here,” said Sannito, a seafood technology specialist based in Kodiak. “You could see the Alaska booths were very popular, and I think it does a great job of getting the message out about our world-class fisheries.” 

Sannito and French, an Alaska Sea Grant State Fellow, served up deep-fried jig-caught Alaska cod and rockfish donated by the Sun’aq Tribe on Kodiak Island. Also on the menu were french fries, candied salmon and “kelp fritters” made of kelp, chickpeas, herbs and spices. 

The purpose of the annual event is to showcase sustainable seafood products from across the country to lawmakers and other Capitol Hill denizens. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick was among those sampling the booth’s wares, and he also invited all of the chefs for a roundtable discussion in his office. 

Sannito said there were about 25 booths at this year’s event sponsored by various seafood companies and regional seafood organizations, including three other booths from Alaska. He noted that all 1,500 tickets for the three-hour event sold out within 5 minutes, and that people lined up for the Alaska Sea Grant booth’s offerings all evening long.

“They were scooping them up as quickly as I could make them,” Sannito said. “It was just nonstop.”