Our Sound Our Salmon

Press Releases

Washington State’s Landmark Net Pen Aquaculture Ban Protected in Victory for Clean Water and Aquatic Ecosystems

A Washington State court issued an order upholding the State’s historic ban on commercial finfish net pen aquaculture. The state court granted a motion from aquaculture industry petitioners to dismiss their lawsuit contesting the ban, marking the end of their efforts to overturn one of the strongest protections for marine waters in the United States.

March 31, 2026 No Comments

Press Releases

Media Statement on Intervention in Northwest Aquaculture Alliance v. Washington State Department of Natural Resources

In August 2017, a devastating net pen aquaculture collapse at a facility maintained by Cooke Aquaculture in Puget Sound released an estimated 260,000 non-native and

July 25, 2025 No Comments

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

Thanks to you, We Made History for Wild Salmon, Orcas, Tribal Food Security, and the Health of Puget Sound

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.

January 9, 2025 No Comments

News & Announcements

Join Us Tomorrow on Bainbridge Island for a Press Event with Commissioner Hilary Franz to Celebrate the Removal of Puget Sound’s Net Pens

Celebrate the removal of WA’s net pens with Washington Commissioner Hilary Franz tomorrow on Bainbridge Island.

May 22, 2023 No Comments

News & Announcements

New Federal Analysis Finds Puget Sound Commercial Net Pens Are Harming Salmon, Steelhead, And Other Protected Fish

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.

June 29, 2022 No Comments

News & Announcements

BREAKING NEWS: Canada Will Phase Out BC Open Water Net Pens

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.

June 24, 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

News & Announcements

Bainbridge Island City Council Unanimously Pass Resolution Supporting ‘Taking Back Our Sound’

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

November 8, 2020 No Comments

News & Announcements

Industrial fish farms threaten Puget Sound once more

WA Fish and Wildlife Department advance a new proposal by Cooke Aquaculture to rear steelhead in their Puget Sound net pens alleging commercial open water net pens pose little to no environmental risks.

October 2, 2019 No Comments

News & Announcements

Atlantic salmon net pen virus leads to debilitating disease in Chinook salmon

Members and partners of the Our Sound, Our Salmon coalition deliver a petition to WA Fish and Wildlife expressing concerns over conflict of interest in net pen viral testing.

May 7, 2018 No Comments

News & Announcements

Governor Inslee signs Atlantic salmon phase out bill into law

For immediate release.March 22nd, 2018 Today, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed HB2957 into law, an act that will effectively ban the practice of open-water Atlantic

March 22, 2018 No Comments

Washington State’s Landmark Net Pen Aquaculture Ban Protected in Victory for Clean Water and Aquatic Ecosystems

Media Statement on Intervention in Northwest Aquaculture Alliance v. Washington State Department of Natural Resources

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

Thanks to you, We Made History for Wild Salmon, Orcas, Tribal Food Security, and the Health of Puget Sound

Join Us Tomorrow on Bainbridge Island for a Press Event with Commissioner Hilary Franz to Celebrate the Removal of Puget Sound’s Net Pens

New Federal Analysis Finds Puget Sound Commercial Net Pens Are Harming Salmon, Steelhead, And Other Protected Fish

BREAKING NEWS: Canada Will Phase Out BC Open Water Net Pens

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

Bainbridge Island City Council Unanimously Pass Resolution Supporting ‘Taking Back Our Sound’

Industrial fish farms threaten Puget Sound once more

Atlantic salmon net pen virus leads to debilitating disease in Chinook salmon

Governor Inslee signs Atlantic salmon phase out bill into law

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