WA Supreme Court OKs Cooke Aquaculture Steelhead Farming

WA Supreme Court OKs Cooke Aquaculture Steelhead Farming

Source: Associated Press

1/13/2022

The Washington state Supreme Court unanimously upheld permits Thursday that will allow Cooke Aquaculture Pacific to farm steelhead trout in net pens in Washington waters.

The decision clears the permit hurdle for the international aquaculture giant to change its operations from farming Atlantic salmon to steelhead in Washington, The Seattle Times reported.

That’s good news for Cooke and the Jamestown S’Kllalam tribe, which in 2019 announced a joint venture with Cooke Aquaculture Pacific to rear native steelhead trout.

“Aquaculture allows us to utilize best practices in protecting the environment while continuing our traditional industries growing and gathering marine-based resources,” W. Ron Allen, chairman of the tribe, said in a prepared statement.

Joel Richardson, vice president of public relations for Cooke, said the Supreme Court opinion “lays to rest the array of disinformation about marine aquaculture being irresponsibly circulated by activist groups.”