Atlantic "couch potato" Salmon Reach the Columbia River: A 271 Mile Journey

Update: 9/8 - WDFW has removed the reported catch of 2 non-native Atlantic salmon from the mouth of the Columbia River. This leaves the longest known distance traveled by the non-native Atlantic salmon at ~169 miles, caught off the west coast of Vancouver Island, near Tofino, British Columbia. Non-native Atlantic salmon continuing to migrate upstream in Washington rivers are indicated by reported catches from the Puyallup, Snohomish, Skagit, and Nooksack Rivers.

NOAA's Michael Rust

on non-native Atlantic Salmon:

"These things [Atlantic salmon] are kind of couch potatoes.."

20 years at NOAA's Northwest Fisheries 

Science Center in Seattle

Aquaculture is not terrestrial farming and farmed salmon are not dairy cows.

For the past 3 weeks NOAA's Michael Rust has been presented as the government's expert researcher who has attempted to minimize the risk of the 160,000 non-native Atlantic salmon which escaped from Cooke Aquaculture's failed net pen. As recently as September 1, Dr. Rust was still being quoted as saying the escaped salmon wouldn't travel far, comparing them to a "dairy cow" in the Serengeti. It's a bad analogy. For Dr. Rust, this incident has also largely dismissed his 2001 technical memorandum he co-authored which said escaped Atlantic salmon "carry very little or no risk" to wild native species. 

Note: This technical memorandum, "The Net-pen SalmonFarming Industry in the Pacific Northwest",  continues to be used by industry in support of expanding operations, most recently in Cooke Aquaculture's attempt to move and expand its operations into the Straight of Juan de Fuca (see reference to document submitted for permit here in 2016).

The 271 mile journey 

of 2 "couch potatoes". 

These are ripe potatoes ready to procreate, not adolescents.

Washington's Department of Fish and Wildlife's "Atlantic Salmon Catch Map" shows the invasive non-native Atlantic salmon are now entering freshwater streams and rivers of Washington, and now through the Columbia River, Oregon as well. Seeking to spawn where the endangered native species do. Unlike the failed attempts to introduce Atlantic salmon in the past which are referenced in Dr. Rust's "technical memorandum", consisting of young salmon or eggs, these are mature and well fed salmon with a drive to prorecreate. Unlike the escaped salmon referenced which failed to gain a foothold in the past, which weighed between .5 to 1.5 kg, these salmon are well fed, mature adults weighing over 4.5kg. They are neither "couch potatoes" nor "dairy cattle" in the Serengeti. They are a non-native and invasive species which has been let loose in a marine environment, in large part due to NOAA's drive to increase aquaculture and minimize the very real risks which industrial aquaculture brings with it.

271 miles away, looking for a new home.

From WDFW catch map, showing 

recent catches at the mouth 

of the Columbia River.

Don't know what you've lost till it's gone.

Rushing blindly along in support of an industry who sees Puget Sound's marine environment as little more than a template to generate profits from has resulted in one of the most significant and adverse impacts in recent history. Blinded by "science" created to support agendas with little more than higher profits as the goal, county, state and federal agencies have been led down a path believing aquaculture, of any type, must be good, thereby needing little oversight. Relying on industry's Best Management Practices results in a reliance on the fox in the hen house to police itself. In this case, instead of Cooke stopping production in its known failing net pen, it instead convinced agencies that one more cycle of farmed salmon could be squeezed out of its failing pen. When it failed, Cooke flailed between "the eclipse"  and the "addition of 3 million pounds" of free swimming salmon as the cause. Their original estimate of 6,000 salmon instead was 160,000 mature, non-native Atlantic salmon which escaped. It was Cooke, it was the agencies responsible for regulating them, and it was the public for not fighting hard enough to prevent industrial scale aquaculture from transforming a critical marine ecosystem.  

Get involved, and don't give up. "Sorry Phil. You were right."

Don't believe that the profits of a few corporations are in the state wide interest. Tell your elected officials it is time to remove these industrial scale net pen operations from Washington's waters and stop the expansion of industrial aquaculture. Alison Arthur's editorial in the Port Townsend Leader apologizing to past Jefferson County Commissioner Phil Johnson who opposed DOE forcing the county to allow net pens is something everyone should read.

Contact information for state and national elected officials may be found here:
http://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/
Tell Governor Inslee if he really cares about Puget Sound, now is the time to stand up and tell DOE to allow counties to ban these operations.
http://www.governor.wa.gov/…/cont…/send-gov-inslee-e-message
Help support those who are focused on protecting the Salish Sea's diversity and health from these industrial scale operations:
Our Sound, Our Salmon
https://www.oursound-oursalmon.org/#home
Wildfish Conservancy
http://wildfishconservancy.org/
Center for Food Safety:
https://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/

Non-native Atlantic Salmon Spread Throughout Salish Sea and Up Inland Rivers

Non-native Atlantic Salmon

Migrate to Fresh Water Rivers 

in Washington State

It's quite a spread that's been offered to over 160,000 mature non-native Atlantic salmon. 
The Department of Fish and Wildlife "catch map" shows that contrary to NOAA's Michael Rust that escaped non-native Atlantic salmon being "couch potatoes," and others saying they would not wander far from pens should they escape because they are "used to being fed", these non-native salmon are anything but that. Worse, they are now migrating up rivers in Washington into habitat used by native salmon, putting both habitat at risk and young native salmon at risk through being consumed by the non-native Atlantic salmon. These salmon are mature and ready to spawn.

"You look in pretty good shape to me."

"I've been fed omega 3's, antibiotics, 

and swam laps in the pen regularly."

And, they're mature, heading up Washington rivers.

Bad timing for fish to escape
People have claimed there is little to worry about habitat displacement as attempts to plant these non-native salmon in the past have failed, with no populations taking hold. The difference is in the past, young salmon were used, not mature salmon, ready to spawn, like those which escaped from the net pen on August 19. Those which escaped are laden with eggs, looking for a place to reproduce. As seen from the area they have spread out over the past 2 weeks, they are anything but "couch potatoes". These have become an invasive species, due directly to mis-management and to a lack of oversight by all agencies.

Get involved
Tell your elected officials it is time to remove these industrial scale operations from Washington's waters. The risk is not "presumptive", it is real.
Contact information for state and national elected officials may be found here:
http://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/
Tell Governor Inslee if he really cares about Puget Sound, now is the time to stand up.
http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/contact/send-gov-inslee-e-message
Help support those who are focused on protecting the Salish Sea's diversity and health from these operations and lack of regulatory oversight:
Our Sound, Our Salmon
https://www.oursound-oursalmon.org/#home
Wildfish Conservancy
http://wildfishconservancy.org/
Center for Food Safety:
https://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/#

Drakes Bay Oyster Company: Invasive Tunicate Didemnum Vexillum Found to be Colonizing Eelgrass in Drakes Estero

Updated 10/17

Drakes Bay Oyster Company harvesting

oysters covered with Didemnum  Vexillum

Colonies dislodge and are spread

throughout Drakes Estero.

During the hearing for Taylor Shellfish's proposed expansion of an additional 58 rafts the threat of further spreading Didemnum Vexillum from growing and harvesting mussels in Totten Inlets was glossed over. The new evidence found in Drakes Estero clearly shows an impact from shellfish farming which was previously not acknowledged.

Invasive Didemnum Vexillum

on Eelgrass in Drakes Estero.

From the Environmental Action Committee in West Marin:

Drakes Bay Oyster Company Causing “Alarming” Amounts of Invasive Marine Vomit

New Research States Marine Vomit Infestation Threatens Eelgrass, Must Be Removed

Point Reyes, California.  A new scientific report released today reveals that the controversial Drakes Bay Oyster Company’s production of millions of non-native Japanese oysters is perpetuating “alarming” amounts of the highly aggressive and invasive “marine vomit” that threatens the ecological health of Drakes Estero marine wilderness area.

The study, prepared by Jude Stalker, an experienced Bay Area invasive species removal specialist, documented that  Didemnum vexillum (Dvex or marine vomit) has infested the Drakes Bay Oyster Company's non-native oysters and oyster infrastructure. Alarmingly the marine vomit has invaded both dead and live eelgrass that exists on the floor of Drakes Estero. Dvex is considered to be a significant threat to the health of marine ecosystems because of its documented ability to spread rapidly, smother native flora and habitats, and thereby reduce the biodiversity of natural areas. Because eelgrass dominates the bottom habitat of Drakes Estero, the potential adverse impact from the existing Dvex infestation is substantial.

“The Drakes Bay Oyster Company’s operations and practices in Drakes Estero that are spreading marine vomit represent an undeniably dangerous threat to the native flora and fauna of Drakes Estero marine wilderness area and must stop immediately,” said Amy Trainer, executive director of the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin. “Despite awareness of the increasing Dvex infestation on its non-native oysters, the company has failed to take responsibility for or remediate this serious ecological disaster in the making,” Trainer said.

The report is based on a kayak survey of Drakes Estero and states that the amount of Dvex documented represents “a trend of increasing infestation” as well as a “new ability” of Dvex to spread onto eelgrass within Drakes Estero. Eelgrass is the critical base of the marine food chain that dominates the bottom habitat of Drakes Estero, and approximately 5-7% of California’s remaining coastal eelgrass is in Drakes Estero. Thus, the ongoing and future harm to numerous native flora and fauna that utilize eelgrass for food and habitat is cause for “serious concern” the report said.

The report notes that the “abundant population of Dvex observed on the DBOC infrastructure [oyster racks] provides a significant source of Dvex in both larval and fragmental form in Drakes Estero.” The Drakes Bay Oyster Company’s harvesting practices of pulling Dvex-infested hanging culture lines and tubes from the racks, transporting them on open barges, separating and cleaning the Dvex-ridden oyster shells on the dock and returning the fragmented Dvex colonies back into the water “are all likely facilitating the spread and persistence of this highly invasive species.”

Dvex colonies are aggressive and rapidly-spreading invasive marine organisms. In some cases, rapid expansions like the one going on in Drakes Estero cause significant changes in the natural community structure.

The report noted that Dvex research elsewhere concludes that the environmental and economic damage from an uncontrolled Dvex infestation is great. “This survey indicates an increasing potential for that outcome in Drake Estero.”  

 

Research has shown that a rapid response to a Dvex infestation is essential to successfully manage and ensure its removal from a natural area. The report recommended the immediate removal of Dvex from all infested sources in the Estero, including infested oysters, infested oyster cultivation infrastructure, infested live and dead eelgrass, and any other infested natural substrate.

 

The California Coastal Commission ordered the company to deal with its marine vomit problem in February, but the company instead sued and has done nothing to date to address the issue. The Drakes Bay Oyster Company was denied for the second time a preliminary injunction to keep operating by the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals on September 3^rd. Drakes Bay Oyster Company was removed from the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Partner list more than 3 years ago and is being supported by the Koch brothers funded Pacific Legal Foundation and Americans For Prosperity in its quest to commercialize Drakes Estero Wilderness. Today’s report comes on the heels of the Sonoma County Democratic Central Committees overwhelming support for Interior Secretary Salazar’s decision to allow Drakes Estero to run wild.

 

 

# # #

Amy Trainer

Executive Director

Environmental Action Committee of West Marin

P.O. Box 609 Point Reyes, CA 94956

amy@eacmarin.org

(415) 663-9312 office

(415) 306-6052 cell

Protecting West Marin for over 40 years!

www.eacmarin.org

www.savepointreyeswilderness.org

Drakes Bay Oyster Company Told by California Coastal Commission to Cease and Desist

Drakes Estero

February 7 the California Coast Commission voted unanimously to approve the Cease and Desist Order and the Restoration Order requiring Drakes Bay Oyster Company to remove unpermitted facilities and to restore those areas impacted. The Hearing may be heard and seen by clicking here, scrolling down to the "February 7" meeting, and clicking on the "COMPLETE" button (note - you may have to "allow" the video to run). The DBOC portion starts at 2:09:30.

Unpermitted Developments



(paving, storage containers)

 

Additional information about the hearing (staff reports and other evidence) may be found by clicking here and scrolling down to item 11, Enforcement. Links are provided there for information but are very large files due to last minute papers submitted by the Lunny's attorney. Many of the latter were not admitted into the record due to their being submitted late. It was also felt the papers were irrelevant as most, if not all, pertained to the legal suit against the National Park Service. Some Commission members and staff were clearly upset with the last minute "document dump".

Unpermitted Shed

 

At issue was whether the Drakes Bay Oyster Company had applied for proper permits and if they had acted on a separate 2007 Cease and Desist Order. While Chairman Kinsey felt some sympathy for the Lunny family, the staff report showed clearly a company reluctant to act on unpermitted actions - for over 5 years. Fines and additional orders were issued which will allow Drakes Estero to be restored.

Restoration Includes Removal

of Racks and Bags

 

 

In addition to the unpermitted structures were non-native and invasive Manila clams which DBOC had been cultivating without a permit. As was pointed out, for almost 2 million clams to appear, in waters they were not permitted for, was one of the numerous actions (or inactions) considerd "egregious" by the staff.

The California Coast Commission and staff should be commended for acting directly and forcefully, if belatedly. As was pointed out, it was unheard of to allow a company to go for over 5 years without resolving an order. Despite attempts to frame the commercial shellfish activities occurring in Drakes Estero as being benign, the spread of non-native invasive Manila clams and non-native invasive tunicate Dedemnum vexillum was found to be more important. The risk of the Estero becoming a Chesapeake Bay if oyster's filtering was removed was soundly dismissed as being unsubstantiated.

Non-native Invasive Tunicate

Being Spread through DBOC Actions



DBOC's attorney pleading for more time because of the "circumstances" which they found themselves in was answered with them having had over 5 years. It was further pointed out that if it were so important to resolve the issue the attorney's law firm, who has been representing Mr. Lunny since 2007, had 38 attorneys and perhaps some could have been put onto this task. It was a very weak defense, weakened further in an attempt to claim that if the oysters were removed Drakes Estero would become a dead body of water.

While Drakes Estero is unique it is also representative of the shellfish industry's belief that they are somehow above regulations and permit requirements. It is a "cowboy in the tidelands" attitude which the sun is setting on.

"There isn't any place I'm aware of that the tunicates are causing harm on the shellfish farms,"

Why would Taylor Shellfish state "There isn't any place I'm aware of that the tunicates are causing harm on the shellfish farms,"
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501363_162-57331539/environmental-programs-fall-victim-to-budget-cuts
"When Washington's Legislature trimmed $30 million, or 27 percent, from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife's budget, three employees who had been diving in the Puget Sound to hunt down invasive sea squirts lost their jobs.
The gelatinous invaders, known as tunicates, form a goopy mat on the sea floor, raising fears that they will hurt the shellfish industry, as they have in eastern Canada.
"We are basically addressing tunicates on an emergency basis only," said Allen Pleus, Washington state's aquatic invasive species coordinator..."There isn't any place I'm aware of that the tunicates are causing harm on the shellfish farms," said Bill Dewey, of Taylor Shellfish Farms in Shelton, Wash."
Images from Woodshole seem to clearly show non-native invasive Tunicates causing harm at Taylor Shellfish's mussel rafts in Totten Inlet:
http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/stellwagen/didemnum/images/pdf/wash4b.pdf
The British Columbia Shellfish Growers Association says this on their Aquatic Invasive Species page:
"On Canada’s East coast, invasive tunicates have resulted in significant grow-out, harvesting and processing challenges for the mussel farming industry."
"Tunicates can out compete and suffocate filter feeding bivalves such as mussels and oysters."

Taylor Shellfish has a great deal to loose if their mussel farm is found to be a vector for non-native invasive tunicates.  Taylor Shellfish has a great deal to loose if these tunicates smother their cultured mussels (which the Woodshole images seem to show clearly happening).  Taylor Shellfish has a great deal to loose if what they believe isn't currently causing harm begins to smother oysters which other growers in Totten Inlet and south Puget Sound are culturing.

Sometimes it is better to react to a problem before it becomes an ecological disaster.  Washington State should reconsider its budget cut which eliminated the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's program to control invasive tunicates.  Taylor Shellfish should reconsider their statement, for the good of everyone, and work towards helping reinstate funding for WDFW to control this very real threat to Puget Sound's ecosystem.