Lummi Nation fishermen work to reduce the amount of farmed non-native Atlantic salmon that escaped a Cooke Aquaculture pen near Cypress Island, Aug. 21, 2017 Credit: Brandon Sawaya/Soulcraft Allstars/Crosscut
Last week, Washington state’s Senate passed Bill 6086, committing to phase out Atlantic Salmon Net Pen farming statewide. After the net pen spill in August that released tens of thousands of non-native Atlantic salmon into the Puget Sound, this is a step in the right direction for the fate of our local waters and the protection of native wild salmon.
Governor Jay Inslee has indicated his support of the ban, stating, “This risk is simply too great, It is no longer acceptable to the people of the state of Washington to expose our waters to the threat of Atlantic salmon net pens.”
CALL TO ACTION:
The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee will be reviewing this Bill Thursday Feb 15. Call your WA State Representatives today!
Our State Representatives need to hear from us to know their constituents support the phasing out of net pens. Tell your district Reps to help move this legislation through the state House and ensure Washington’s waters are kept safe from Cooke Aquaculture’s floating feedlots! Washington is the only state on the West coast that has allowed net pens for Atlantic salmon.
- Not sure who your Reps are? Use the State Legislator District Finder – enter your address and select “Legislative”
- Call 1-800-562-6000 (or 1-800-635-9993 for the hearing impaired)
- Leave a message!
Sample message:
Hello, I oppose Atlantic Salmon net pens in Washington State and urge you to support legislation banning them. Please support the version of the bill that the Senate approved on February 8, Bill 6086. I care about this issue because protecting the native salmon in our region is important to restore the ecology of our waterways.
LEARN MORE:
- Local fisherman Peter Knutson of Loki Fish Co. interviewed by Mike McCormick on KEXP 90.3 on the battle to ban Atlantic salmon net pen farming in Washington state. Listen to the interview (select Sat Feb 10, Mind Over Matters, and choose 7:30AM).
- Washington state Senate OKs phasing out Atlantic salmon net-pen farming, Seattle Times – Feb 8, 2017
- Who cleaned up the Atlantic salmon spill? Northwest tribes, Crosscut – Jan 26, 2018
- Cooke Aquaculture fined $332,000 after net pen failure, King 5 News – Jan 30, 2018
- Spill of farmed Atlantic salmon near San Juan Islands much bigger than first estimates, Seattle Times – Aug 24, 2017
