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Cooke Aquaculture USA Faces Lawsuit Over Salmon Farming Practices in Maine

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Tuesday, January 21, 2025, 00:10 (GMT + 9)

Alleged violations of U.S. Clean Water Act spark legal action

Cooke Aquaculture USA, a division of the Saint John-based Cooke Inc., is under legal scrutiny for alleged ocean pollution stemming from its salmon farming operations along the coast of Maine.

The lawsuit, filed by the Boston-based Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) in the District Court of Maine, targets 13 active net-pen sites operated by Cooke. These sites consist of cages anchored to the sea floor and floatation devices on the ocean's surface, housing salmon as they grow. The CLF alleges that Cooke's operations are violating the U.S. Clean Water Act by allowing salmon waste, uneaten feed, and carcasses to accumulate on the seabed, creating toxic sediment harmful to marine ecosystems.

Concerns Over Environmental Impact

Heather Govern, Vice President of the CLF’s Clean Air and Water Program, stated:

"Salmon in these cages create pollution that falls to the sea floor, forming toxic sediment. This harms the food sources for lobster and other bottom-feeding fish."

The affected sites are located near ecologically sensitive areas, including Swans Island, Acadia National Park, Beals Island, Machias Bay, and Cobscook Bay. Each lease area reportedly contains between six and 30 cages.

Cooke Denies Allegations

In response, Cooke Aquaculture has strongly denied the claims. In a statement posted on its website, company spokesperson Steven Hedlund said the allegations are "false, misleading, and lack substantive evidence." He emphasized that Cooke’s Maine operations are regularly inspected by state regulators and comply with strict environmental monitoring requirements.

Cooke recently faced another legal challenge over its involvement in a Virginia fishery, but the case was dismissed in the company’s favor earlier this year.

CLF’s Investigations and Concerns

The CLF, which has been investigating Cooke for two years, gathered evidence through site visits, interviews with locals and fishermen, and public records obtained via freedom of information requests.

Govern expressed concern over the potential for escaped farmed salmon to spread diseases and interbreed with wild Atlantic salmon, a species listed as endangered in Maine since 2000. The lawsuit highlights a 2023 incident where approximately 50,000 salmon escaped from Cooke’s net pens, threatening the genetic fitness of wild salmon populations.

Photo: Cooke Aquaculture

The lawsuit also alleges that Cooke has released significant amounts of dead fish into the ocean following mass-mortality events and routinely experiences outbreaks of diseases such as infectious salmon anemia and bacterial kidney disease. Additionally, the CLF accuses Cooke of using undisclosed chemicals to treat sea lice, further raising environmental concerns.

Industry Defends Cooke

Sebastian Belle, Executive Director of the Maine Aquaculture Association, defended Cooke, describing Maine’s aquaculture regulations as some of the strictest in the world. Belle highlighted Cooke’s positive reputation in the industry, citing their role in developing progressive management practices.

However, Belle acknowledged the growing challenges of securing public acceptance for net-pen farming, particularly among new coastal residents unfamiliar with Maine's aquaculture traditions.

Broader Context

Net-pen farming has faced controversy in other regions as well. In 2022, Washington State banned the practice following reports that Cooke had under-reported escaped salmon numbers. Conversely, in Cooke’s home province of New Brunswick, net-pen farming remains permitted, even as Canada plans to phase it out in British Columbia by 2029.

Govern believes Maine’s industry grew without fully understanding the environmental consequences:

"The science on what happens when you expose these coastlines to so much waste wasn’t clear when the industry began expanding 20 years ago."

Looking Ahead

The outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for Cooke and the aquaculture industry in Maine, potentially influencing regulatory standards and public perception of net-pen farming.

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