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In the News

Wild Fish Conservancy in the News

Below we've shared links to media coverage of our work in the news. To read posts written by our staff and other partners, head to the News page or review our Press Releases

Thank you to all the members of the press for your attention to these important wild fish protection and recovery initiatives and for helping keep the public informed.

WA bans commercial net-pen fish farming

January 7, 2025
By Lynda Mapes, The Seattle Times

Comment: Do this to save killer whales and wild salmon from extinction

June 1, 2024
Opinion piece by Adrian Tuohy, Wild Fish Conservancy Fish Biologist, Times Columnist

Washington is the first place in the world to remove and ban this fish farming practice

January 22, 2205
By Karlee Van De Venter, Trii-City Herald

Washington State Bans Finfish Aquaculture

January 20, 2025
By Tasmania Times

Pierce County city saves 50 acres of salmon habitat downtown. You’ll be able to explore it

September 17, 2024
By Julia Park, The News Tribune

Sustainable Alaskan Chinook Salmon? That’s a Problem

August 4, 2024
By Dan Chasen, Post Alley

Environmental settlement to close two Washington fish hatchery programs

October 11, 2024
By Monique Merrill, Missoula Current (originally in Courthouse News)

Salmon lawsuit ends in settlement but tensions over hatcheries simmer: Two hatchery programs will close and a third will release fewer fish in 2025

October 1, 2024
By Henry Brannan, Columbian Murrow News Fellow, The Columbian

One million chinook salmon die in Skagit County hatchery amid activist warnings

May 4, 2024
By Emma Toscani & Jason Upton, My Bellingham Now

An A to Z of Hungry Killer Whales: This unique community of orcas is starving to death.

May 16, 2024
By Catherine DeNardo, Nautilus

Salmon advocates sue to defund hatcheries in the Lower Columbia River Basin

April 17, 2024
By Alanna Mayham, Courthouse News

Guest Column | North Creek: Quality over quantity

March 20, 2024
By WFC Science Director Jamie Glasgow, Gig Harbor Now

Conservation group petitions for Alaska king salmon to be listed as an endangered species

January 12, 2024
By Sean Maguire, Anchorage Daily News, Reposted in The Columbian

California’s Central Valley chinook are getting lost on their way home

Nov 1, 2023
By Kori Suzuki, High Country News

Starving Orcas and the Fate of Alaska’s Disappearing King Salmon

July 19, 2023
By By Julia O’Malley, The New York Times

Work to remove final fish farming net pens underway in Washington waters

May 23, 2023
By Matthew Smith, Fox 13

A steelhead obsession dries up

May 22, 2023
By Shin Yu Pai, Whitney Henry-Lester & Jim Gates
KUOW

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Washington wildlife: A victory for conservation

May 19, 2023
By Fred Koontz
The Seattle Times

Shutdown looms for Alaska summer troll fishery; court order aims to provide more salmon for orcas

May 11, 2023
By Christopher Dunagan
Puget Sound Institute Blog

To aid the killer whales, the real apex predator gets some pushback

May 10, 2023
By Danny Westneat, Seattle Times

Millions of salmon heading home to B.C. caught by Alaskan fishers

May 10, 2023
By Judith Lavoie
Focus on Victoria

Alaskans poaching Canadian salmon top concern for federal fisheries minister

May 9, 2023
By Rochelle Baker
Island Insider

To feed endangered orcas, Alaska ordered to stop intercepting B.C.-bound salmon

May 6, 2023
By Stefan Labbé
Victoria Times Colonist

'Win' for Southern Resident killer whales a 'major blow' to fishing industry

May 4, 2023
By Matthew Smith
Fox 13

How a rockstar, restaurant and wine are helping save salmon

April 27, 2023
By Maddison Newell
Seattle Refined

Debate about state's salmon, trout hatcheries rages on

April 16, 2023
By Julia Lerner
Cascadia Daily News

Puget Sound Orcas are Starving. Is the Solution Shutting Down Alaskan Chinook Fisheries?

February 19, 2023
By Dan Chasan
Post Alley | Seattle

Trout Species Under Consideration for Endangered Species List

February 9, 2023
By Hillel Aron
Court House News

Washington Bans Commercial Net-Pen Fish Farming in State Waters

November 21,2022
By Isabella Breda
The Seattle Times

Cooke’s Washington State licences will not be renewed, officials say

November 15, 2022
By Robert Outram, Fish Farmer

Lawsuit seeks to block Southeast Alaska troll fishing to increase salmon for orcas

November 4, 2022
By Christopher Dunagan
Puget Sound Institute Blog

2 NK projects recipients of Salmon Recovery grants

September 28, 202
By Kitsap Daily News

Judge: Sustainable Salmon Harvest isn’t Sustainable

August 31, 2022
By Dan Chasan
Post Alley | Seattle

Hatched to be wild: Why Tribes are pursuing a controversial salmon recovery strategy

August 22, 2022
By Cole Sinanian
Columbia Insight

The US Endangered Orcas with Overfishing, Court Finds

August 19, 2022
By Kate Helmore
The Tyee

Ruling clouds future of southeast Alaska king salmon fishery

August 11, 2022
By Bellamy Pailthorp
KNKX Public Radio, The Associated Press

Judge faults federal plan to protect orcas from Alaska salmon harvests

Aug. 11, 2022
By Hal Bernton
The Seattle Times

Judge blasts ‘mitigation’ that would imperil both orca and salmon

August 10 ,2022
By Alanna Madden
Court House News

So Long to Open-Net-Pen Salmon Farms?

June 22, 2022
By Brian Owens
Hakai Magazine

Hatcheries for Waning Orcas No Longer Works

November 4, 2021
By Dan Chasan
Post Alley | Seattle

Potential ‘irreparable damage’ to Puget Sound orcas over alleged illegal salmon hatchery expansion

Oct 25, 2021
By Dalton Day
My Northwest

Duvall nonprofit sues Department of Fish and Wildlife over salmon hatchery policy

October 20, 2021
By Conor Wilson
Snoqualmie Valley Record

Lawsuit Claims Hatcheries Harm Wild Fish, Orcas

October 17, 2021
By Eric Trent
The Chronicle

Swinomish tribal members say steelhead net pens violate fishing rights, add their voice to state Supreme Court case

Sep. 22, 2021
By Lynda V. Mapes
The Seattle Times

Swinomish Tribe objects as state allows Cooke Aquaculture to stock net pen at Hope Island

August 9, 2021
By Bellamy Pailthorp
KNKX Public Radio

Virus spreads from B.C. fish farms to wild Chinook salmon, study finds

May 27, 2021
By Lynda V. Mapes
The Seattle Times

New fish traps to get commercial test in the Columbia River resemble vintage gear long banned from fishery

May 23, 2021
By The Daily News

Environmental groups appeal lower court’s decision on Cooke Aquaculture’s net pen plan

November 24, 2020
By Bellamy Pailthorp
KNKX Public Radio

Controversy flares up over proposed policy revisions for state salmon hatcheries

October 23, 2020
By Christopher Dunagan
Puget Sound Institute Blog

Taking Back Puget Sound

Fall 2020
By Dylan Tomine
The Cleanest Line
Patagonia

Environmental group wants to buy the rights to Puget Sound net pen sites

August 3, 2020
By Christopher Dunagan
Puget Sound Institute Blog

Puget Sound’s Life Beyond Aquaculture

August 2, 2020
By Dan Chasan
Post Alley | Seattle

New steelhead strategy would include increased fishing and more hatcheries

May 15, 2020
By Christopher Dunagan
Puget Sound Institute Blog

Harvest managers setting this year’s salmon seasons struggle to find ways to help orcas

March 7, 2020
By Christopher Dunagan
Puget Sound Institute Blog

Washington state sued over Cooke Aquaculture plan to raise steelhead in Puget Sound

Feb. 12, 2020
By Evan Bush
The Seattle Times

Lawsuit from environmental groups says state's approval of net pens relies on outdated science

February 12, 2020
By Bellamy Pailthorp
KNKX Public Radio

Are We Going To Save Orcas Or Not? Another Blow to Chinook Salmon

January 21, 2020
By Dan Chasan
Post Alley | Seattle

Cooke Aquaculture agrees to pay $2.75M to settle lawsuit over salmon net-pen collapse

November 30, 2019
By Evan Bush, Seattle Times

Researchers hope fish trap will be safer for wild fish

November 18, 2019
By Emily Lindblom
The Astorian

Seattle Chef Renee Erickson: Eat This Salmon

October 30, 2019
By Ramona DeNies
Wild Salmon Center

To Save the Orcas, We Need to Stop Eating Their Lunch

October 1, 2019
By Dan Chasan
Post Alley | Seattle

Still recovering from escaped Atlantic salmon, Cooke Aquaculture now wants to farm steelhead

August 5, 2019
By Hannah Weinberger
Crosscut

Opinion: More salmon hatcheries will not help killer whales or chinook

July 12, 2019
By Misty MacDuffee, Nick Gayeski, & Chris Genovali
Vancouver Sun

Groups sue to restrict salmon fishing, help Northwest orcas

April 3, 2019
By Gene Johnson
The Associated Press in The Seattle Times

How a banned fish trap is being used to save wild salmon on the Columbia River

January 16, 2019
By Cassandra Profita, Oregon Public Broadcasting

In the great debate to save the orcas, the apex predator is missing

January 4, 2019
By Danny Westneat
The Seattle Times

Fish Traps: The Pound Net Revival

October 1, 2018
By April Vokey
Meat Eater

Atlantic salmon introduce disease to native salmon

August 31, 2018
By Mandi Johnson
The Island's Weekly

Washington state finds virus in Cooke Atlantic salmon, plans expanded testing

May 19, 2018
By Lynda V. Mapes
The Seattle Times

Finally, Washington bans salmon farms

April 10, 2018
By Chad Shmukler
Hatch Magazine

New ways of fishing could better protect endangered salmon

March 22, 2018
By Christopher Dunagan
Kitsap Sun (Originally in 'Watching Our Water Ways')

Opinion: Phase out Atlantic fish farming in Washington waters

January 30, 2018
By WFC Founder Kurt Beardslee
The Seattle Times

Cooke Aquaculture Sued Over Net Pen Collapse

November 14, 2017
By Bellamy Pailthorp
KNKX Public Radio

Escaped Atlantic salmon have disappeared from Puget Sound, but legal fight begins

November 14, 2017
By Lynda V. Mapes
The Seattle Times

Fish traps of past may help future of Columbia salmon

November 8, 2017
By Terry Otto
The Columbian

Old Tradition May Be Key to Saving Salmon – and Fishermen

October 20, 2017
By Karina Brown
Court House News

Are farm-raised salmon a 'pollutant'?

October 19, 2017
By Daniel Jack Chasan
Crosscut

Stormwater pollution in Puget Sound streams killing coho before they can spawn

October 18, 2017
By Lynda V. Mapes
The Seattle Times

Fish traps were banned, but some now say ‘it’s the future’ for Columbia River salmon

October 16, 2017
By Hal Bernton
The Seattle Times

Why Are Atlantic Salmon Being Farmed In The Northwest?

August 29, 2017
By Courtney Flatt
Northwest Public Broadcasting

Net Pen Peril: Atlantic Salmon Invade After Breach

August 28, 2017
By Steve Duda
The Fly Fish Journal

Wild-salmon advocates file notice of intent to sue over farmed fish escape

August 26, 2017
By Linda V. Mapes
The Seattle Times

NOAA Finalizes New Plan For Columbia River Hatcheries

Jan. 17, 2017
By Cassandra Profita Oregon Public Broadcasting

Leavenworth-area hatchery violating Clean Water Act, judge rules

January 10, 2017
By Hal Bernton
The Seattle Times

Opinion: Time is running out to save Puget Sound steelhead

February 17, 2016
By WFC Science Director Jamie Glasgow
The Seattle Times

Lawsuit Claims Salmon Farms Harm Native Fish In Puget Sound

November 4, 2015
By Kate O'Connell
KUOW
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