Cooke in clear over US salmon deaths

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection said this week that it has closed an investigation into salmon mortalities at two Cooke Aquaculture sites off Black island and Black island South near the town of Frenchboro’ .

The findings follow an inspection of the facilities by the Department (DEP), which says it found no violations.

More than 100,000 fish died in the incidents which the company believes were caused by very low oxygen levels.

DEP Staff inspected the net pen sites and did not find any evidence of potential violations, it said in a press release. Pen densities were all “within permit limits,” and dissolved oxygen readings at the 30-meter mixing zone outside the net pens were also within legal limits, the agency said.

“The department acknowledges Cooke Aquaculture’s co-operation in this matter, and having found no infractions, has therefore closed the investigation into this matter,” the DEP said in a press release.

It said visibility in the water was limited to between five and eight feet, adding that the net pens had been cleaned within the last week. Staff also found no evidence of pen fouling.

Maine DEP staff inspected the net pen sites and did not find any evidence of potential violations.

Pen densities were all “within permit limits,” and dissolved oxygen readings at the 30-meter mixing zone outside the net pens were also within legal limits.

Maine DEP said its investigation into the fish deaths was now closed.

Cooke said it accepted the findings, adding it took all responsible steps to alleviate as quickly as possible what it described as an unfortunate fish loss.