Salmon Aquaculture: Issues and Regulations

1. Salmon Aquaculture: Issues and Regulations Hadley Greene Erika Harris Peter King Jason McKinney Matt Stock

2. Aquaculture: The cultivation of plants, shellfish, and finfish in the water • 31 million tons produced worldwide • 12 million pounds of Atlantic salmon and steelhead produced in Washington state annually

3. A Net-Pen

4. Net-Pen Salmon Aquaculture • Floating net-pens • Hatchery-born Atlantic salmon • Fishmeal • Antibiotics

5. Net-Pen Salmon Aquaculture Operations • Norway • Chile • Washington State • British Columbia

6. Washington and B.C

7. The Economics of Salmon Aquaculture • Farmed fish vs. Wild fish • Aquaculture contributes $30 million in wholesale income to Washington coastal communities

8. Net-Pen Salmon Production

9. Net-Pen Salmon Issues: Three Umbrellas • Net-pen salmon, effects on wild stocks • Human health risks • Environmental implications on proximal communities

10. First Umbrella: Farmed and Wild Stock Salmon • Reduction in gene pool, accelerated “evolution;” two possible effects Result:  competition with wild stocks

11. First Umbrella: Farmed and Wild Stock Salmon • High stress conditions • High escapement Result:  transfer of disease

12. Second Umbrella: Human Health Risks • Less healthy • Transfer of disease • Antibiotics

13. Aeromonas Aeromonashydrophila

14. Aeromonas in Humans Bullous lesions Ecthymagangrenosum Cellulitis of the forearm

15. Third Umbrella: Env. Implications on Proximal Communities • Bio-deposits • Heavy metal accumulation • Therapeutic compounds • Dioxin bioaccumulation and transfer up through food chain

16. Federal Regulatory Framework: National Aquaculture Act of 1980 • Expansion of industry a “national interest” • Sought to eliminate “diffuse legal jurisdiction” • USDA lead agency in charge of oversight

17. Joint Subcommittee on Aquaculture (JSA) • National Aquaculture Development Plan • Identify all constraints to future industry expansion • Identified respective roles of USDA, DOC, DOI

18. NOAA and NMFS • Development of criteria for environmental protection • Encourage industry development • NMFS: ESA/MMPA adminstration

19. State Regulatory Framework • Departments of: Ecology, Natural Resources, Fish & Wildlife, Agriculture • Tribes • Local Jurisdictions

20. Washington Department of Ecology Regulates facilities and implements federal regulations • Atlantic salmon classified as a pollutant by the Pollution Control Hearings BoardEcology must grant NPDES permits to net-pen facilities • All new net-pen facilities must conduct a study of the project’s impact on the env. under SEPA • In accordance with SMA, DOE must issue a Coastal Consistency Determination (CCD)

21. Washington Department of Natural Resources Caretaker and proprietor of submerged lands • Washington state is a “non-riparian” state • DNR issues an Aquatic Lease Permit authorizing net-pen operators to use state-owned aquatic lands

22. WDFW Atlantic salmon as “private sector cultured aquatic products • Aquaculture Disease Control Act • Finfish Import/Transfer Permit

23. WDFW Responsible for “food fish” regulations • WDFW manages all food fish in state • Prohibits the deliberate release of exotic species (Atlantic salmon)  currently revising these rules

24. WDFW Hydraulic Code • Limits impacts on aquatic habitat • HPA required before construction of net-pen facility Administrative • Operators must register with WDFW

25. US Army Corps of Engineers • Section 404 of the Clean Water Act of 1971 • Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899

26. Section 404 of the CWA • Created to protect all wetlands from the dumping of dredged fill material • 1972 Congress passed Federal Water Pollution Control Act amendments • Section 404 of the CWA established a permit program • 1974 Corps adopts regulations to implement the program • 1975 Federal Court decides the Corps should revise/expand role • 1977 Corps issues final regulations which are upheld by Congress

27. Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act • Created to protect navigable waters from the placement of obstructions • Act also precludes filling and dredging

28. Washington State Department of Agriculture • Legislation in 1985 declared “aquaculture as agriculture • Fish regulated as a commodity • DOA in charge of marketing the product • Co-manages the Disease Inspection and Control Program

29. Local Jurisdiction’s Shoreline Master Program • Shoreline Management Act of 1971 • Delegates authority to local jurisdiction • Substantial Use Permit for construction over $2,500

30. Conclusions • New industry, new regulatory setting • Potential conflict of interest • Probable ESA considerations REGULATIONS INSUFFICIENT