Washington has officially banned commercial net-pen fish farming in its state-owned waters. This decision has been made official by the state Board of Natural Resources, arguing that are steps to protect the environment and its local wild fauna.
The ban was driven by the need to protect aquatic habitats from the environmental damage caused by net-pen aquaculture. Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz emphasized the state's legal and moral responsibility to prevent harm to these ecosystems, citing the collapse of an aquaculture facility happened a few years ago that led to the release of thousands of nonnative Atlantic salmon into the waters. Franz called for continued efforts to safeguard habitats and support species recovery.
This move aligns Washington with other coastal states, such as Alaska and California, that have taken similar actions to protect their waterways.