A measure aimed at phasing out salmon net-pen farming in Washington state has been passed by the state senate. The move is in response to the accidental release of thousands of Atlantic salmon from a farm, into waters famed for native wild salmon.
The Seattle Times reported that Senate Bill 6086 passed 35-12 and would now head to the House for consideration. It could end Atlantic salmon net-pen farming in the state as existing leases terminate by 2025.
Ahead of the vote, Governor Jay Inslee endorsed the measure, saying that Atlantic salmon farming was a risk that was simply “too great” and that it was “no longer acceptable” to the people of the state of Washington to have their waters exposed to the threat of Atlantic salmon pens.
State officials issued a USD 332,000 (EUR 270,970) fine to Cooke Aquaculture Pacific last summer for alleged violations of Washington state water quality laws following the collapse of its Cypress Island farm last summer. A report by state agencies found that Cooke had failed to adequately clean nets holding farmed salmon, and the nets failed because they were excessively laden with mussels and other marine organisms.
The accuracy of the report was, however, disputed by company officials, with Joel Richardson, vice-president of public relations, saying that it had been “shut out” of the investigation by the state agencies.
“As a result, investigators with limited experience in aquaculture or net-pen operations have produced an inaccurate and misleading document that appears to be intended to fuel the push by aquaculture opponents to put Cooke out of business in Washington state,” said Richardson.
Cooke Aquaculture Pacific employs 80 people in Washington.
