We have a historic opportunity to call for a ban for farmed Atlantic salmon that are in net pens in our waters. Tomorrow 1/31/18, there are hearings on two salmon bills in House Ag and Natural Resources:
HB 2957 sponsored by Lytton and Chapman phases out leases and permits for Atlantic salmon net pens only) no renewals or new ones granted. Tribes support this. This is the best bill we are likely to get this session. It eliminates study requirements. The other bill,
HB 2956 sponsored by Blake, is a proposal for only FEMALE Atlantic salmon to be grown. This of course does not address the antibiotics, disease threats and fecal and food decay pollution issue.
While we are not getting rid of net pens themselves in these bills, starting with Atlantic Salmon in this shortened session is wise. The Tribes are for this, momentum is with us now.We need to do more education of the problems with net pens in general, and see what can be done to address tribal concerns about an outright ban on net pens.
A possible future could be to help fund more experimentation with commercially viable upland tank farming. A similar bill like that was done a decade ago, sponsored by then Representative Kevin Van de Wege to launch hog fuel plants in Port Angeles, Port Townsend and a few other limited sites. While it proved not economically viable, the successful legislation showed a method that could be updated and reused to help tribes and others explore some real choices other than net pens. Exploring the work of Atlantic Sapphire out of Miami could be part of this effort.
People can use this link https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill//2957 to comment in favor of the Lytton/Chapman bill. Your support is needed now! The Senate Bill is already out of committee and may be the ultimate vehicle, but we need to keep the pressure on.
Filed under: Government, legislation | Tagged: Net Pens Aquaculture |
