Judge sets aside Washington standards for salmon farms

A federal judge has set aside Washington's water-quality standards for salmon farms, saying federal regulators didn't use the best available science in approving them.

U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency and National Marine Fisheries Service ignored the government's own recovery plans for endangered salmon and orcas when they found that a formal environmental review of the state's standards was not necessary.

Under the ruling Wednesday, the agencies must reconsider whether the farms are likely to harm wild salmon. If they do pose a threat — such as by the transmission of sea lice from penned fish to wild ones — the EPA could require stricter controls on aquaculture in Puget Sound.

Wild Fish Conservancy filed the lawsuit that led to the ruling. American Gold Seafoods operates all eight salmon farms in the Sound. The company did not immediately return a call seeking comment.