Its key to point out that the ban is structured on the basis that Atlantic Salmon are an invasive species.
(In support) This is a difficult issue in many respects, with impacts that have brought out strong beliefs on both sides. There is an effort to find a path forward. Sometimes in agriculture there are crops that people do not believe belong in the state and that seems to be a part of the debate with this issue. The process is important and there have been several bills on this topic with different approaches. A healthy and productive Salish Sea is essential to the Lummi Nation and the fishing industry. Aquaculture can be done responsibly.
There is opposition to farming nonnative species in the Salish Sea. If this remains a product farmed in Washington, it should be conducted upland. The response by Cooke Aquaculture to the collapse is concerning. The company did not take responsibility and blamed the collapse on the eclipse.
Future escapes are inevitable and put native and hatchery salmon at risk. There is evidence that this is a dangerous industry. Washington is not ready to deal with toxic chemicals, sea lice, and disease that are associated with farming of Atlantic salmon. Atlantic salmon have been found to spawn in Canada.
The Skagit River is the only river in the lower 48 states with all the original native fish still spawning. Nonnative invasive species do not need to be in Washington waters. Retaining rights to harvest fish and shellfish are a key piece of treaty rights that have been reaffirmed by the courts.
There is a desire to phase out farming of all nonnative species. This bill is a compromise. If keeping net pens in operation were put to public vote, the public would vote for an immediate termination of leases. There are other ways forward to provide food and prevent pollution. Had the state known what it knows now, permits for the net pens would not have been issued.
(Opposed) The fact that a species is nonnative does not make it invasive. There is a $14 billion seafood deficit that can be attributed to regulations. Half of foreign seafood is farmed. There is not need for more regulations. Cooke ran out of time trying to update infrastructure they acquired. The spawning of of Atlantic salmon has not been observed on the west coast. Farmed Atlantic salmon are conditioned to eat pellets, and the stomachs of escaped salmon have been found empty. During the freshwater phase, fish are vaccinated and raised in disease free environments. This bill would eliminate hundreds of jobs. (Other) Ecology would like to confirm whether or not there is a need for the agency to update the NPDES permits for current leases. The bill appears to restrict only Atlantic salmon. The Department of Fish and Wildlife suggests that the state include nonnative aquaculture as well. The cultivation of native salmon in commercial aquaculture is a greater risk than the cultivation of Atlantic salmon to wild Pacific salmon stocks. The unemployment rate in the counties where Cooke has its operations are higher than state and United States averages. Jobs have already been lost and this bill represents over 100 more. The business community requests that the committee find a middle ground on the issue.
http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2017-18/Pdf/Bill Reports/House/2957 HBR AGNR 18.pdf
