Alaska Rethinks Salmon Farming Ban as U.S. Pushes Aquaculture Growth

While the U.S. strengthens salmon aquaculture for food resilience, Canada is weakening it at the behest of ideological activists.

By Fabian Dawson
SeaWestNews

Alaska is reopening a debate once thought untouchable in the State: salmon farming.

Governor Mike Dunleavy, who has long championed food security, surprised many in his state recently by suggesting that Alaska should also consider farming the fish.

“We could also be a leader in the farmed salmon industry. Why not do both instead of importing farmed salmon from Scotland?” he asked in a social media post that lit up political circles across the state.

As expected, critics rushed to condemn the idea, but once again, their opposition came without any science to back their claims.

But Dunleavy’s question reflects a broader truth: the United States is now pushing forward on ocean aquaculture while Canada, and particularly British Columbia, is moving to shut it down.

In Washington, D.C., momentum is building behind the Marine Aquaculture Research for America (MARA) Act , a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). It would, for the first time, create a federal framework for ocean aquaculture.

Their case is simple.

The U.S. imports up to 85 percent of its seafood, much of it farmed overseas. The country ranks 18th in global aquaculture production, far behind China, India, Chile and Norway. Advocates say this dependence leaves the U.S. exposed to foreign supply chains and strips opportunity away from coastal communities.

“This growing bipartisan consensus in Congress to advance open ocean aquaculture in America comes with strong support from leading environmental groups, seafood industry businesses, chefs, and academics who all agree: We can responsibly grow more of our own seafood here at home,” said Drue Banta Winters of Stronger America Through Seafood.

“With today’s advanced technology, the responsible farming of seafood can sustainably complement our nation’s wild-capture harvesting to meet the growing demand for fresh, American-raised seafood, create new job opportunities and encourage investment in working waterfront communities.”

The MARA Act would cut through overlapping environmental reviews, streamline permits, and establish an Office of Aquaculture within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It would also fund infrastructure and training to support a new generation of aquaculture workers.

“This is about food security and jobs,” Winters said. “We already harvest the sustainable limit of wild-caught seafood. The only way forward is farming more seafood off our own shores.”

That message is gaining traction in Washington, but in Alaska it cuts against decades of identity politics. Since 1990, the state has not allowed finfish farming in ocean pens, promoting its policy of marketing  “wild only”.

Dunleavy acknowledged that with just over a year left in his term, there may not be sufficient time to advance fish farming legislation. He expressed hope that Alaska’s next governor would bring together fishermen, chefs, and other stakeholders to discuss ways to develop fish farming practices without compromising the value of wild-caught salmon.

While the U.S. debates expansion, Canada is enforcing contraction. In British Columbia, Ottawa is planning to phase out all open-net salmon farms by 2029. Its position ignores scores of peer-reviewed studies showing farmed and wild salmon can coexist and thrive.

Industry groups warn the ban will wipe out 4,560 jobs, erase $1.17 billion in annual economic output, and strip more than $425 million in taxes from government coffers. Compensation claims could climb to $9 billion.

First Nations, who hold agreements with salmon farming companies in their traditional territories, say Ottawa’s decision undermines reconciliation. “This is about our right to decide what happens in our traditional territories,” the   Coalition of First Nations for Finfish Stewardship has stated.

For them, salmon farming is not only about jobs, but also about stewardship and self-determination.

The divergence between Canada and the U.S. is stark.

Canada is dismantling an industry it helped pioneer, forcing consumers to rely more heavily on imported farmed fish. The U.S., meanwhile, is working to build one, backed by bipartisan support and modern technologies designed to reduce environmental risk.

And the irony is hard to miss.

As the U.S. positions aquaculture as a pillar of food security, Ottawa is tearing it down in the name of activist ideology.

For Alaska, the fight over salmon farms maybe just beginning.

For British Columbia, the damage is already being done.

Main image shows Alaska’s Governor Mike Dunleavy