Maine should follow the example of British Columbia and Washington state. Forty-three years ago, anglers from five fish and game clubs in Washington County formed the Downeast Salmon Federation. Today DSF employs 12 staff and conducts a variety of conservation activities to recover all species of sea-run fish in Maine.
Over the years, DSF has taken positions on many fisheries, land use, and watershed management matters. As part of our position on the practice of farmed salmon aquaculture in our coastal waters, we are issuing a call to action.
This comes after close examination of the facts and the documented impacts.
As with other industries in the region that have the potential to impact wild fish, privately operated salmon farms must be subject to careful and ongoing review. It is well understood that activities in Maine’s waters must be regulated to some extent if the natural bounty of the sea, in the form of wild fish, is to continue to provide for current and future generations.
Recently, new evidence has been brought to light showing that Cooke Aquaculture, the sole operator of all salmon farms in Maine, has again violated its Maine Department of Environmental Protection permits. This company has repeatedly demonstrated an unwillingness to play by the rule of law.
There is increased concern that as Cooke has grown internationally, its attention is focused elsewhere…
Cooke is the only salmon farming company operating in U.S. waters, with all its operations now located in Downeast Maine. Until recently, Cooke operated in the state of Washington. However, after devastating failures, Washington completely banned open net pen Atlantic salmon farms effective as of January of this year.
Cooke Aquaculture’s operations in Maine are a very small part of this large Canadian company, whose annual revenues now exceed $4 billion.
Sources examining Cooke’s business model believe that many of its farms in Maine are operating at a loss. This may explain the repeated mass mortalities of adult salmon reported at Cooke sites. Shockingly, DEP reports that at one site alone, over 100,000 mature salmon died in August 2021. Last year, two other sites of similar size also experienced significant losses near Beals Island. There is increased concern in our communities that as Cooke has grown internationally, its attention is focused elsewhere, and it is failing in its responsibilities to Maine.
Cooke has become like the neighbor whose pigs are out roaming where they shouldn’t be because their pens are poorly maintained.
So much for farmed salmon. What about Maine’s real salmon? Our wild Atlantic salmon need our care and support, not more problems.
The diseases and parasites known to exist on these fish farms present a serious threat to wild fish. The pollution (fish waste measuring in tons) is now the subject of a very well documented Clean Water Act lawsuit. In addition, Cooke’s escaped fish are entering our rivers and bays.
This is a problem because these domesticated salmon can breed with and “dumb down” our wild fish, making the offspring less well adapted to their environment.
All Mainers should applaud the Conservation Law Foundation for doing the research and documenting these and other violations. The state agencies tasked with monitoring and compliance are sorely understaffed and ill-equipped, hence the need for citizen monitors. It was local fishermen who first reported recent mortality and pollution events, such as those observed at Black Island and Beals Island.
While so far Downeast Salmon Federation has not had the ability to document all of this ourselves, we have reviewed evidence and looked closely at the effects of this industry on other places. Serious impacts are being seen throughout Norway, Scotland, Ireland, and Maritime Canada.
As mentioned, Washington has banned this farming practice and British Columbia also passed laws that will phase out salmon farming by June 30, 2029.
In this example, Maine missed the chance to uphold our motto: Dirigo: We Lead. But we can and should follow the example of our friends in British Columbia and elsewhere by phasing out these farms.
Dwayne Shaw is executive director of the Downeast Salmon Federation.
