Press Releases

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 2 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 3 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

Press Releases

A Second Court Rejects Cooke Aquaculture’s Challenge Over Termination of Port Angeles Net Pen Lease

Media Contacts: Kurt Beardslee, Executive Director, 206-310-9301, [email protected] Emma Helverson, Director of Communications, 484-788-1174, [email protected] DECEMBER 17, 2021—In another legal defeat for Cooke

January 6, 2022 No Comments

Press Releases

Congress on Track to Approve Catastrophic Investment in Northwest Hatcheries, Undermining Wild Salmon Recovery

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives released text of the draft reconciliation bill revealing Congress is on track to make the largest investment in northwest hatchery infrastructure on record that could cause irreparable damage to wild fish populations and to endangered Southern Resident killer whales.

November 1, 2021 No Comments

Press Releases

Conservation Groups Challenge Washington’s Artificial “Fix” to Southern Resident Killer Whale and Salmon Recovery

This week, conservation organizations Wild Fish Conservancy and The Conservation Angler filed suit against the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for its repeated refusal to follow state environmental laws when setting statewide hatchery policy.

October 13, 2021 No Comments

Press Releases

Federal Court Finds NOAA’s Harvest Mitigation Proposal Violated Endangered Species Act Protections for Wild Chinook and Southern Resident Killer Whales

A groundbreaking new ruling from the federal court in Seattle is calling into question the continuation of decades of unsustainable commercial salmon harvest in Southeast Alaska.

September 29, 2021 1 Comment

Press Releases

Cooke Aquaculture Secures Permit to Stock Risky Washington Fish Farm

Despite ongoing litigation and timing questions regarding the lease for the facility, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has granted fish farming giant Cooke Aquaculture a permit to stock its Hope Island facility in-water net pens with steelhead.

August 6, 2021 No Comments

Press Releases

Salmon Fishery Plan Change Proposed to Protect Endangered Orcas

Fishing in Pacific Northwest Would Be Limited if Salmon Population Drops

June 1, 2021 No Comments

Press Releases

Washington Takes Historic Step to Legalize Fish Traps for Sustainable Commercial Fishing on the Columbia River

Washington state is taking a historic step forward to legalize fish traps for sustainable commercial fishing on the Columbia River.

April 30, 2021 No Comments

Press Releases

Wild Fish Conservancy Files Legal Suit against Washington Fish and Wildlife for Killing Federally Protected Wild Steelhead

WFC’s lawsuit charging WDFW for capturing, holding captive, and killing protected wild summer steelhead without the federal review and approval required for all hatchery programs that affect threatened and endangered species.

February 12, 2021 No Comments

Press Releases

Cooke Aquaculture Faces New Lawsuit Over Puget Sound Net Pens Harm to Threatened and Endangered Orcas, Chinook, Steelhead, and Other Protected Wild Fish

We’re holding Cooke Aquaculture responsible for Endangered Species Act violations resulting from their net pen operations.

February 10, 2021 No Comments

Press Releases

Publication in BioScience Suggests that a Return to Historical Indigenous Fishing Practices and Systems of Management Can Help Recover Pacific Salmon Fisheries

A new publication co-authored by WFC’s Adrian Tuohy suggests that a return to historical Indigenous fishing practices and systems of salmon management may be key to revitalizing struggling Pacific Salmon fisheries across the North Pacific.

December 25, 2020 No Comments

Press Releases

Wild Fish Conservancy Provides Legal Notice to Washington Fish and Wildlife for Killing Federally Protected Wild Steelhead

Today, WFC provided notice of our intent to file suit for violations of the Endangered Species Act resulting from WA’s unpermitted operation of a new summer steelhead hatchery program in the Skykomish River.

December 2, 2020 No Comments

Press Releases

To protect wild steelhead, salmon, orcas, environmental groups appeal approval of Puget Sound commercial net pen aquaculture to Washington’s Supreme Court

WFC and our partners are appealing our challenge of Washington’s steelhead net pen authorization to Washington’s Supreme Court.

November 25, 2020 No Comments

News & Announcements

Conservation group submits lease proposal to take back public waters from the commercial open water net pen industry

WFC bids to lease sites for conservation and public access The fifteen-year leases that have authorized the commercial net pen aquaculture industry to pollute and

July 15, 2020 No Comments

Press Releases

NOAA sued for harming Southern Resident killer whales

A lawsuit filed today in Seattle’s federal courthouse alleges the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is in violation of the Endangered Species Act for

March 18, 2020 2 Comments

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