[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Washington State Senate has voted by a wide margin of 35-12 to ban the farming of Atlantic salmon once existing leases for the cultivation of the non-native fish have expired.
The legislation was endorsed by Democratic Governor Jay Inslee, who called Atlantic salmon farming “a risk that is intolerable.”
Atlantic salmon farm.
The bill is now set to be voted on by the Washington State House, and would then go to Inslee’s desk to be signed into law if it passes.
“The risk is simply too great, it is no longer acceptable to the people of the state of Washington to expose our waters to the threat of Atlantic salmon net pens,” Inslee said.
