This week, the WA Board of Natural Resources cast a historic vote to permanently ban commercial net pen aquaculture in Washington marine waters. Washington is the first—and only—place in the world to successfully remove and permanently ban this practice to protect public waters.
On behalf of the Our Sound, Our Salmon we want to extend our sincere appreciation to Chairwoman Frances Charles, Chairman Leonard Forsman, and Chairman Steve Edwards for their inspiring and compelling op-ed in today’s Seattle Times titled, ‘Protect WA’s waters and tribal sovereignty: Ban commercial finfish net-pen aquaculture.’
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.
Celebrate the removal of WA’s net pens with Washington Commissioner Hilary Franz tomorrow on Bainbridge Island.
All week residents across Puget Sound watched the net pen industry packing up nets, removing debris, and pulling up anchors and chains that have been holding the industry’s net pens in place for over forty years. Now, Puget Sound is only days away from being free of all commercial net pens for the first time in nearly half a century.
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.
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.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve made incredible strides and progress on a variety of our science, education, and advocacy initiatives being covered in local and international news. With too frequent doom-inspiring news stories dominating the news, we’re excited to share some good news for wild salmon recovery!
Join WFC and award-winning journalists Douglas Frantz & Catherine Collins for a discussion on their new book ‘Salmon Wars’— an exposé on Cooke Aquaculture & the global salmon farming industry
A new analysis released by NOAA Fisheries confirms commercial marine net pens operating in Puget Sound are harming threatened and endangered salmon, steelhead, and other protected fish, as well as their critical habitats.
Canada’s Minister of Fisheries Joyce Murray announced that the Canadian government is taking bold action to phase out all open net pen aquaculture in British Columbia’s coastal waters.
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.
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.
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
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.
We’re holding Cooke Aquaculture responsible for Endangered Species Act violations resulting from their net pen operations.
On Thursday, in a truly inspiring victory for wild Pacific salmon, orcas, and BC First Nations, the Canadian government agreed to phase out all open
WFC and our partners are appealing our challenge of Washington’s steelhead net pen authorization to Washington’s Supreme Court.
On November 27th, the Bainbridge Island City Council passed an official resolution declaring support for the Taking Back Our Sound campaign, Wild Fish Conservancy’s competing
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
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