

Conservation Groups Sue Over Aquaculture Pollution of Columbia River
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 2, 2025 Pacific Seafoods’ so-called “sustainable” fish farming facilities in violation of Clean Water Act permits daily since at least
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 2, 2025 Pacific Seafoods’ so-called “sustainable” fish farming facilities in violation of Clean Water Act permits daily since at least
Wild Fish Conservancy filed suit against NOAA Fisheries for failing to meet essential legal deadlines under the Endangered Species Act and delaying federal protections to at-risk Alaskan Chinook salmon.
Wild Fish Conservancy notified NOAA Fisheries of its intent to sue for failing to meet legal deadlines under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and delaying federal protections to at-risk Alaskan Chinook salmon.
The Conservation Angler and Wild Fish Conservancy filed suit against NOAA Fisheries for delaying Endangered Species Act protections for Olympic Peninsula steelhead.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Washington state denies new leases for Cooke Aquaculture, effectively ending net pen aquaculture in Puget Sound.
Join our mailing list to recieve important updates on our work, the latest wild fish news, & opportunities to take action to support wild fish.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Wild Fish Conservancy is recognized as a 501(c)3 non-profit by the IRS