State Senate bans farming of Atlantic salmon after 2025

The net-pen farming of Atlantic salmon would be phased out in Washington waters by 2025, when existing leases run out, under legislation passed with bipartisan backing Thursday in the state Senate.

The legislation comes as reaction to a net collapse last August at a salmon farm off Cypress Island, where between 243,000 and 263,000 non-native Atlantic salmon were accidentally released. The fish have turned up as far away as the Harrison River in British Columbia.

After what sponsor Sen. Kevin Ranker, R-Orcas, described as a "powerful bipartisan vote" of 35-12, the legislation moves to the state House of Representatives. Two of its prime House sponsors are Republican coastal legislators.

Gov. Jay Inslee threw his backing to the Atlantic salmon phase-out online and at a news conference.

"Last year's incident in Puget Sound shows we cannot eliminate the threat of releasing non-native Atlantic salmon into our marine waters," said the governor. "It happened before and will happen again."

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