Farmed Atlantic salmon. (Photo: Archive)

Washington fish farmers urge senate to support alternative for farmed salmon bans

UNITED STATES
Monday, February 26, 2018, 22:20 (GMT + 9)

The Washington Fish Growers Association (WFGA) is calling on state lawmakers to support a solution to the proposed ban on net pen farming of Atlantic salmon in Washington.

According to WFGA Executive Director, Dan Swecker, this will allow the development of a sustainable and profitable aquaculture sector in Washington state.

Last week, the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee avoided Senate Bill 6086, which proposed a ban on Atlantic salmon farming in state waters, from meeting a key legislative deadline. The project was not treated in the meeting and state Representative Brian Blake proposed a compromise solution.

The Blake amendment establishes that all farmed Atlantic salmon in Washington state should be single-sex after the current aquatic leases expire, as outlined in House Bill 2956.

Swecker said WFGA fully supports the amendment. The association believes it could pave the way for the state to become a leader in adopting a promising and proven solution to the perceived risk of interbreeding between wild and farmed fish.

“While fisheries scientists have proven that in the 30-year history of aquaculture in the Pacific Northwest there has been no evidence of interbreeding between Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and the five Pacific species, the ability to raise single-sex (female) fish will calm the fears of those seeking to preserve wild salmon stocks,” Swecker said.

If the compromise is adopted, it would place Washington state at the vanguard of an emerging and important new technology that has been developed by aquaculture centers in Norway and Scotland, and is now being embraced by global aquaculture leaders, according to WFGA.

The association is now urging the Senate to reconsider its position on the issue and support an amendment that is similar to the single-sex fish amendment that Representative Brian Blake has proposed, which may be offered by Senator Judy Warnick if House Bill 2957 is presented in the Senate.

According to Swecker, this compromise would eliminate all risk of Atlantic salmon establishing themselves and competing with native salmon populations in Washington state´s waters. It would also allow the existing operations of Cooke Aquaculture Pacific to continue to provide the 600 direct and indirect jobs in the state.

“I hope we don’t lose sight of the potential to develop an industry that is profitable and sustainable for our state,” said Swecker. “Atlantic salmon farming is one of those industries, ” he concluded.

Related articles:

- Washington fish growers urge Senate to stop salmon farm bans

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