Photo courtesy of Steve Ringman, Seattle Times
The same company that allowed the accidental release of hundreds of thousands of farmed Atlantic salmon into the waters of Puget Sound has been ordered to shut down another of its salmon farm net pens, this one off the coast of Port Angeles, Wash.
We’ve known for a long time that farming Atlantic salmon is bad idea put into practice in Pacific waters—not only can escaped salmon establish wild populations, but the net pens pollute the water around them, creating toxic dead zones for most sea life. The state of Washington determined the pen off of Port Angeles was polluting the water with Styrofoam that crumbles off of its floats; that it was operating outside the waters it leased and that some of its anchor lines are missing or damaged. When the Cook Aquaculture net pen failed during high tides last summer, it proved that the practice could not be done without harm to the natural environment, and to already imperiled Pacific salmon populations. Good for Hilary Franz, the state commissioner of public lands, for ordering the closure of this particular salmon farm that holds a whopping 700,000 Atlantic salmon.
Here’s what else is happening around the fishing world today:
- The fly-fishing industry is targeting women in order to realize its growth potential.
- Domenick Swentosky offers some tips for nymphing with tiny flies for trout.
- Here’s a great feature on Postfly in the company’s hometown newspaper.
- Is Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke a novice fly fisher (not that it really matters)? Here’s the article that supposedly caused him to ban its writer from a future news conference.
And, finally, your moment of fly-fishing Zen, thanks to Hatch Magazine.
