OLYMPIA – Washington fish managers have denied a request by Cooke Aquaculture to move thousands of juvenile Atlantic salmon from its hatchery to marine net pens in Kitsap County.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife said Thursday it rejected the company's application because the move would increase the risk of fish disease transmission both within and outside the pens.
State lawmakers in March passed legislation to phase out marine Atlantic salmon aquaculture. The industry has operated for decades in Washington but came under heavy criticism after tens of thousands of non-native fish escaped from net pens near Cypress Island in Skagit County into waterways last summer.
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