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On November 10th, every Puget Sound net pen lease will expire
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
On November 10th, every lease that authorizes commercial net pens to operate in Puget Sound will have expired. Without new leases, Washington's sole net pen operator, Cooke Aquaculture, will be required to pack up and remove their net pens from Puget Sound, effectively eliminating this industry in Washington. The expiration of these leases offers Washington a once-in-a-decade opportunity to take bold action to protect Puget Sound and join governments around the world in abandoning this dangerous and antiquated industry.
With the clock counting down to November 10th when every net pen lease in Washington will have expired, the future of the commercial net pen industry and the health of Puget Sound lies solely in the hands of Washington's Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz. In the coming days, Commissioner Franz will need to make a monumental decision whether to give in to pressure from Cooke Aquaculture to issue new 12-year leases for net pen aquaculture or calls from the public to restore Puget Sound for the benefit and use of all.
Cooke Aquaculture is a billion-dollar corporation actively fighting tooth and nail to continue using our public waters to profit at the expense of the health of Puget Sound. Commissioner Franz is required by statute to make a decision that is in the best interest of the public. If we don't speak out now, we risk the threat of another decade of chronic pollution, viral outbreaks, and massive escape events. With just days until Cooke's leases are expired, this is your last chance to fight for the future health of Puget Sound.
It's urgent that Commissioner Franz hears from you today.
Send Commissioner Franz an Email
STEP 2: Write & send an email to Commissioner Franz
Below is an email we've drafted to make it as easy as possible to contact Commissioner Franz about this issue.
We strongly encourage you to add at least 1-2 sentences to this email message sharing your unique perspective. This might include how you would benefit from these waters being restored and returned to the public or how the consequences of commercial net pens have directly affected you.
These types of personal messages are the most powerful and will help demonstrate to Commissioner Franz the diverse ways which commercial net pen aquaculture has harmed ecologically, economically, and culturally harmed our region.
Please share this action alert with others. Commissioner Franz is required to make a decision that is in the best interest of the public, so its critical that she hear directly from you and others invested in the recovery and protection of Puget Sound.
Click on the icons at the end of this email to share this action alert by social media or email and help more of the public reach Commissioner Franz.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us at info@wildfishconservancy.org.
Thank you for all you make possible!
Wild Fish Conservancy
wildfishconservancy.org