Judge Rules Washington DNR Net Pen Ban Is Not Legally Binding; NWAA Releases Statement

Those involved in aquaculture in Washington can breathe a sigh of relief after a Thurston County Superior Court Judge ruled that the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) net pen ban has no legal effect in the state.

In November 2022 Hilary Franz, the Commissioner of Public Lands, announced that Cooke’s leases in Puget Sound would not be renewed. Further, Franz announced that she would be ending the practice of farming finfish in open sea net pens. Cooke was given a date of December 14 to...

Oregon and Washington Seek Nominations for Columbia River Fishing Advisory Groups

Fishery managers from Washington and Oregon are seeking nominations for advisers to fill positions on the recreational and commercial advisory groups that provide input on fishing seasons on the Columbia River.

The Oregon and the Washington Departments of Fish and Wildlife are accepting nominations for appointees to three-year terms on the Columbia River Commercial Fishing Advisory Group and Columbia River Recreational Fishing Advisory Group through Nov. 3, 2023. The new terms begin in January 2024 and ...

Washington Rep. Introduces Safety Bill Aiming to Protect Washington’s Fishermen

Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez introduced the Bryson Fitch Fisherman Protection Act, a bill that honors missing Pacific County crabber Bryson Fitch and aims to improve safety measures aboard fishing vessels.

“Fishing is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, and it’s our responsibility to make sure these hard working men and women are protected on the job,” said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. “This bill will help ensure more fishermen are equipped with the personal safety equipment they need to be located during an emergency. I’m continuing to keep...

Senator Murray Secures More Than $206 Million For Pacific Salmon Recovery 

Washington Senator Patty Murray announced last week that she secured more than $206 million for Pacific salmon recovery in the draft legislation for the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies funding bill for fiscal year 2024.

According to a news release, the legislation includes $76 million for the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) Pacific Salmon account, which is a $4 million increase over FY23 funding levels. This money will support the agency’s work with the Endangered Species Act-listed Pacific salmon species...

Washington State Partners with Sustainable Blue to Identify Opportunities for On-Land Aquaculture

Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz signed today a partnership agreement with Nova Scotia-based Sustainable Blue, a zero discharge, land-based salmon farming company, to identify opportunities for siting sustainable finfish aquaculture in Washington State.

"I'm excited to bring this partnership to Washington," said Commissioner Franz. "This agreement represents an important step toward restoring finfish aquaculture in a sustainable, healthy way that does not pit farmed fish against the native salmon we all work so hard to sustain...

Washington Commission Updates Rules for Columbia River Smelt Fisheries

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission recently voted to revise regulations for commercial smelt fisheries on the mainstem Columbia River.

"The purpose of this rule is to rescind open fishing periods from the permanent Eulachon commercial fishing regulations to align these fishing regulations with current management strategies," Commission documents say.

The eulachon fisheries are managed in accordance with NMFS due to their Endangered Species Act listing status. Therefore, the rule would allow managers to set sustainable harvest limits by modifying fishery duration and intensity on an annual basis, pending run ...

Offshore Wind in the West: CA Goes All In; Angst in Oregon; Background Work in WA

If California's political leaders' efforts for offshore wind are the equivalent of a tropical storm, both Oregon and Washington's efforts are more like a cold northwest wind that puts a damper on the sunniest day. There's progress, but it's slow and is accompanied by some not-so-happy campers.

Last week California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 286, which would speed up permitting for floating offshore wind projects, cutting years off the process to bring towering...

Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz Visits With Partner Sustainable Blue 

Earlier this month Hilary Franz, the Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands, visited Sustainable Blue, a land-based salmon producer in Canada. The visit came less than a year after Franz issued an executive order that would prohibit commercial finfish net pen aquaculture on state-owned aquatic lands managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

“I was excited to see @sustainableblu1 upland salmon farm near Halifax, Nova Scotia,” Franz tweeted on August 11. “Bringing a facility like this to Washington would...

Cooke Loses Legal Battle Against Washington DNR; Update on Removal of Equipment

Cooke Aquaculture Pacific has lost their legal battle against Washington’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

In mid-November 2022 the DNR announced that they had decided not to renew leases for Cooke Aquaculture Puget Sound fish farms. Commissioner of Public Lands HIlary Franz said that the state would also be putting an end to the practice of farming finfish in open sea net pens in Puget Sound. The DNR had initially given Cooke a month to wrap up steelhead farming in their last pens and...

NWAA Begins Campaign Highlighting Impact of Net Pen Farming Ban in Washington

The Northwest Aquaculture Alliance (NWAA) has launched a campaign that protests the recent decision by the Washington DNR Commissioner Hilary Franz, which banned net pen fish farming in the state’s waters.

The campaign will focus on the negative impact the workers and their families have felt since the ban was put in place.

“Franz’s blatantly political action last November not only forced fish farmers out of work, but also ended the availability of affordable, nutritious, sustainable, and locally farmed fish for Washington consumers,” said Jeanne McKnight...

Coast Guard Rescues 2 From Crab Boat Off Washington Coast; Search Continues For Missing Crew Member

Two people were rescued from crab boat Ethel May, which sank near Willapa Bay in Southwest Washington Sunday night. But one crew member is still missing. 

“We want nothing more than to find the last individual from the fishing vessel Ethel May,” said Lt. Cmdr. Colin Fogarty, the search and rescue mission coordinator for Sector Columbia River. “Since the Coast Guard received initial reports, our operators have been diligently carrying out search operations. We have assets on the water...