In 2017 Cooke's catastrophic net pen collapse in Washington State, which allowed more than 250,000 non-native fish to escape into Puget Sound, made global headlines. And Washington’s Legislature reacted swiftly by passing a new law to phase out non-native species in marine fish farming by 2022.
Kurt Grinnell was a strong proponent behind that measure, which essentially required Cooke to either completely change its business model or leave its operations in Washington state altogether.
But in an unusual turn, Grinnell now hopes Cooke will be allowed to pursue finfish aquaculture in the state.
