The Northwest Aquaculture Alliance (NWAA) has launched a fundraising campaign to overturn the unlawful ban on commercial net pens in Washington state’s marine waters, the organization has announced. The campaign is in response to the January 7, 2025, vote by the Washington State Board of Natural Resources to uphold the proposed ban on all commercial net pens in the state’s waters.
In response, on February 27, 2025, NWAA filed a lawsuit in Thurston County (WA) Superior Court, alleging that the state’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR), led by former Public Lands Commissioner, Hilary Franz, “Conducted a predetermined and inadequate rulemaking process that ignored the best-available science and ignored the intent of the State Legislature when it set forth a new law allowing for the production of native species in commercial net pens.”
The lawsuit also alleges that DNR rushed its rulemaking process to go into effect before the end of Commissioner Franz’ term on January 15. In addition, the lawsuit contends that DNR “failed to satisfy Administrative Procedure Act (APA) procedures; stepped beyond its statutory authority; promulgated arbitrary and capricious rules; and violated State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) requirements.”
NWAA President, Jim Parsons, said, “NWAA hopes that a more thorough Judicial Review of the rule will result in a decision to invalidate the rule banning commercial net pens so we can return to what we have been doing in this state for more than 40 years: Growing nutritious, high-quality fish that consumers can afford.”
Immediately following the vote, the Washington-based activist organization, Wild Fish Conservancy (WFC) called the vote a “triumph,” adding that “this precedent is helping to inspire and bolster the global movement that continues to grow and push forward.” WFC warned producers “from British Columbia to Scotland, Chile, Tasmania, and beyond” that they will be the next target of the Global Salmon Farming Resistance, the coalition coordinating the effort “to eliminate open water net pen aquaculture worldwide.”
NWAA Executive Director, Jeanne McKnight, said the Washington state ban has emboldened the groups seeking to end marine fish farming throughout the world. “It’s time to resist the Global Salmon Resistance,” she said, asking the global industry to support the efforts in Washington.