Washington bill banning Atlantic salmon farming

Under fire after a collapse and massive escape last summer, Atlantic salmon net-pen farming would be banned in Washington under legislation that will be filed by Sen. Kevin Ranker this coming session.

The legislation would allow existing state leases for the eight Atlantic net-pen farms now operating in Washington to run out by 2025. No permits for new farms would be granted, and no renewals for existing leases would be allowed. The bill also would require state agencies that regulate net-pen farming to keep a tighter watch on operations.

The net-pen escape was a wake-up call, said Ranker, D-Orcas Island. He called the escape of more than 100,000 Atlantics into Puget Sound “a disaster,” yet not even his biggest concern about the industry.

Cooke Aquaculture, the owner and operator of the failed net-pen and all of Washington’s Atlantic salmon farms, is sure to fight the ban. Cooke is a multibillion-dollar, privately held corporation based in Canada with operations also in Europe, South America, Japan and the eastern United States.

LINK (via: The Seattle Times)