The Conservation Law Foundation has filed a lawsuit against Cooke Aquaculture, saying the company has violated the Clean Water Act at its Down East salmon pens.
CLF said the salmon pens release fish feces, fish food and pieces of dead salmon into the surrounding water, polluting the water and ocean floor.
“So due to the waste, the lobstermen have had to deal with foul smelling black sludge on their traps,” said Heather Govern, vice president of law foundation’s clean air and water program. “They’ve had to drive further out from the harbors and away from Cook’s cages in order to drop their lobster traps.”
Govern said Cooke’s programs can work, just not like this.
“CLF is holding this multinational corporation accountable and defending Maine’s right to a clean, healthy environment, but we’re not trying to shutter any business,” she said. “In fact, to comply with the law, we want Cooke to hire more employees and experts, to increase the monitoring and inspections at the pens.”
Cooke declined a request to comment on the lawsuit. But in a November statement the company called the allegations false, misleading and lacking any substantiating evidence.
This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.
