Press Releases

Press Releases

Washington Makes History by Successfully Removing and Permanently Banning Net Pen Aquaculture, Securing Puget Sound for Future Generations

This week, we are celebrating a monumental environmental victory for Puget Sound’s ecosystems, Washington Tribal Nations, and the protection of our iconic wild salmon and Southern Resident orcas. On Tuesday, Washington State made history, becoming the first—and only—place in the world to successfully remove and permanently ban commercial net pen aquaculture.

January 9, 2025 No Comments

News & Announcements

Washington State Poised to Set Precedent as First Government in the World to Successfully Remove and Permanently Ban Commercial Net Pen Aquaculture

Washington State recently garnered international attention for its successful removal of all polluting and hazardous commercial net pens from Puget Sound. Now, the state is on the verge of adopting a statute that would prohibit this commercial industry from ever returning to Puget Sound.

December 12, 2024 No Comments

Press Releases

Lawsuit Launched to Protect Olympic Peninsula Steelhead

The Conservation Angler and Wild Fish Conservancy recently notified the National Marine Fisheries Services of their intent to sue NMFS for failing to protect Olympic Peninsula steelhead under the federal Endangered Species Act.

November 8, 2024 No Comments

Press Releases

Victory! Court Holds Unlawful Federal Government Decision That Greenlit Industrial Fish Farming in Ocean Waters

The U.S. Federal Court for the Western District of Washington ruled that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers'(Corps) approval of Nationwide Permit 56 (NWP 56)—which authorizes industrial finfish aquaculture structures in federal ocean waters around the country—was unlawful.

October 2, 2024 No Comments

News & Announcements

Joint Statement from Wild Fish Conservancy and The Conservation Angler on Mitchell Act and SAFE Hatchery program Settlement with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

WFC, The Conservation Angler, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife agree to settlement in Endangered Species Act lawsuit over lower Columbia River hatchery programs that are harming wild fish recovery.

September 26, 2024 No Comments

Press Releases

Certifier Pulls Sustainable Recommendation for Southeast Alaska Fisheries to Protect Dwindling Salmon and Endangered Orcas

In a groundbreaking decision, Canadian seafood certifier Ocean Wise announced they can no longer recommend salmon caught in Southeast Alaska fisheries as ‘sustainable’. The delisting responds to concerns over the impact of the region’s fisheries on endangered Southern Resident orcas and at-risk salmon populations from rivers coastwide.

July 16, 2024 No Comments

News & Announcements

After Chronic Decline, Feds Agree Alaskan Chinook May Require Protection under the Endangered Species Act

NOAA Fisheries announced a somber, yet significant milestone in the effort to protect dwindling Alaskan Chinook. After reviewing a formal petition to list Alaskan Chinook populations as ‘threatened’ or ‘endangered’, the federal agency has made the first ever positive finding for Alaskan-born salmon under the Endangered Species Act.

May 24, 2024 No Comments

News & Announcements

Conservation Advocates Sue Over Lower Columbia River Hatchery Programs Harming Wild Salmon and Hindering Recovery Progress

Wild Fish Conservancy and The Conservation Angler filed against federal, state, and local governments for their continued funding and operation of Mitchell Act and Select Area Fishery Enhancement (SAFE) program hatcheries that are far exceeding limits under the ESA designed to prevent extinction of imperiled wild salmon and steelhead.

April 17, 2024 No Comments

Press Releases

New Research Shows Curtailing Chinook Salmon Ocean Fisheries Will Promote Southern Resident Orca & Wild Chinook Recovery

New research was published in the journal of Communications Earth & Environment sounds a grave warning for endangered Southern Resident killer whales and highlights the urgent conservation measures necessary to stem their pending extinction. While projecting rapid population collapse in roughly 40 years’ time from maintenance of the status-quo, the authors also shine light on the hopeful path forward to recovery.

April 5, 2024 No Comments

Press Releases

Conservation Advocates Serve Notice of Intent to Sue Over Columbia River Hatchery Programs Harming Wild Salmon Recovery

Today, Wild Fish Conservancy and The Conservation Angler issued a 60-day Notice of Intent to sue federal, state, and local agencies for chronic and ongoing violations of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) resulting from the Mitchell Act and SAFE program hatcheries on the Columbia River.

January 26, 2024 No Comments

Press Releases

Alaskan Chinook in Peril, A Plea for Protection under the Endangered Species Act

Wild Fish Conservancy filed a petition today calling for federal protection of Alaskan Chinook under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. This emergency action is being taken in response to the severe decline and poor condition of Chinook populations throughout the state of Alaska.

January 11, 2024 2 Comments

News & Announcements

Court Rules In Favor of Short-Term Economics over Endangered Species Protections for Southern Resident Killer Whales and Wild Chinook

In a disappointing ruling for Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections, a Ninth Circuit Court granted a request by NOAA Fisheries, the State of Alaska, and the Alaska Trollers Association to continue overharvest of threatened Chinook salmon that is jeopardizing critically endangered Southern Resident killer whales.

June 22, 2023 No Comments

News & Announcements

Landmark Legal Victory Ending Overharvest Marks Turning Point for Southern Resident Orcas & Wild Chinook Recovery

In an international, coastwide environmental victory, Seattle federal Court issued a landmark order halting the overharvest of Chinook salmon in Southeast Alaska that has persisted for decades, jeopardizing the survival of federally-protected Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW) and wild Chinook populations coastwide. This significant decision will immediately allow the starving Southern Resident population far greater access to these Chinook which are the whale’s primary prey, marking a turning point for their recovery.

May 3, 2023 No Comments

News & Announcements

Commissioner Hilary Franz Recognized Again as a Leader in Wild Salmon Recovery for Zero-Discharge Aquaculture Commitment

Today, WA Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz announces new commitment to exploring zero-discharge, land-based aquaculture facilities as an alternative to open water net pens.

April 11, 2023 No Comments

News & Announcements

Court Recommends Halting Alaska’s Unsustainable Harvest to Protect Wild Chinook and Southern Resident Killer Whales

In a massive international and coast-wide decision for wild Chinook and Southern Resident killer whale recovery, Seattle’s federal Court issued a landmark opinion on Tuesday that recommends terminating unsustainable commercial salmon harvest that has persisted for decades until new environmental reviews of those fisheries occur.

December 16, 2022 8 Comments

News & Announcements

Washington State Makes History with Bold New Policy Ending Commercial Net Pen Aquaculture in Puget Sound

Today, Washington’s Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz made history when she announced a new groundbreaking executive order that will prohibit commercial net pen aquaculture in Washington state marine waters.

November 18, 2022 1 Comment

News & Announcements

Conservationists, Fishermen, and Tribes Sue Over Fish Farming Slated for Federal Waters

WFC is proud to be a co-plaintiff in a new lawsuit led by the Center for Food Safety challenging the federal government for authorizing a nationwide permit for industrial finfish aquaculture without environmental review of the risks.

November 15, 2022 No Comments

News & Announcements

Net Pen Decision Leads to Historic Victory for Wild Salmon, Orcas, and the Health of Puget Sound

Washington state denies new leases for Cooke Aquaculture, effectively ending net pen aquaculture in Puget Sound.

November 15, 2022 4 Comments

Press Releases

New Research Shows Innovative Commercial Fishing Technique Can Aid Wild Salmon Recovery & Support Sustainable Fisheries

Wild Fish Conservancy published a new study in Fisheries Research further confirming the critical role commercial fish traps can play in recovering wild salmon and steelhead, improving fisheries management, and providing new sustainable fishing opportunities for coastal fishing communities.

October 6, 2022 No Comments

News & Announcements

Bombshell Court Victory: Chinook Harvest Harms Southern Resident Killer Whales and Wild Chinook Recovery

A bombshell ruling from Seattle’s federal Court is calling out the federal government for failing to protect endangered Southern Resident killer whales (SRKWs) and wild Chinook by approving unsustainable Chinook harvest at levels that are harming the recovery of both federally protected species.

August 10, 2022 1 Comment

News & Announcements

Legal Action Taken to Protect Threatened and Endangered Species from Industrial Finfish Aquaculture Operations

Wild Fish Conservancy joined a coalition of marine conservation organizations, trade groups, and the Quinault Indian Nation in filing notice of our intent to sue the U.S. Army Corps for its failure to consider impacts to threatened and endangered species when it authorized construction of offshore finfish aquaculture facilities around the country.

June 23, 2022 No Comments

News & Announcements

Two Countries, Two Government Officials, Poised to Make One Critical Decision

Canada’s Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Joyce Murray and Washington State’s Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz are both expected to announce major decisions that will determine the future of commercial net pen aquaculture along the Pacific Northwest Coast.

June 10, 2022 No Comments

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