Submit a Request to Extend the Public Comment Period on Important Commercial Net Pen Management Plan
If you believe the public deserves adequate time and notice to provide input on how commercial net pens operating in public waters are managed, take the important action below today!
Right now, Washington state agencies responsible for regulating the commercial net pen aquaculture industry are holding a public comment period on the draft State Guidance for Commercial Marine Net Pen Aquaculture, a long-lasting and far-reaching plan that will guide how commercial net pens are managed by Washington local and state government officials.
This plan has been in development by the Departments of Ecology, Fish and Wildlife, Natural Resources, and Agriculture since 2015, yet the public has only been provided 21-days to review, digest, and provide informed comments on over 100 pages of complex and technical information.
To make matters worse, state agencies have provided little to no public notification of this opportunity so many organizations, elected officials, local businesses, and members of the public with serious concerns over how this industry is managed in Washington state, remain largely unaware of this important opportunity with only six days left to provide input.
In 2019, during the comment period reviewing Cooke Aquaculture’s new steelhead marine net pen proposal, agencies reported unprecedented public participation with over 3,500 unique comments. In this case, agency officials extended the comment period on two separate occasions to ensure the public had adequate opportunity to comment. The draft plan currently being reviewed is more detailed and larger in scope, clearly demonstrating the need for the agencies to extend the current comment period.
HERE’S WHAT TO DO:
SEND AN EMAIL TO: casey.dennehy@ecy.wa.gov, Casey Dennehy
INCLUDE IN YOUR EMAIL:
a request for a 90-day extension of the current public comment period on the draft State Guidance for Commercial Marine Net Pen Aquaculture
EXAMPLE:
Casey,
I am writing to request a 90-day extension of the current public comment period on the draft State Guidance for Commercial Marine Net Pen Aquaculture. I only learned about this opportunity to comment today and need more time to review this 100 plus page document and make informed comments.
[Optional: Include a personal reason or concerns for your interest in submitting comments on the management of commercial net pen aquaculture]
Thank you,
[Your Name]
QUESTIONS? REACH OUT!
info@wildfishconservancy.org or call Emma Helverson at 484-788-1174