Afternoon informational presentation and public hearing

Join us for an online public meeting and hearing for the draft 2026 Upland Finfish Hatching and Rearing General Permit and share your comments with us.

We will host an afternoon online public meeting and hearing Tuesday, May 5. We will share an informational presentation that helps explain the draft permit's proposed changes. A question-and-answer session will follow, then a formal public hearing.

The hearing is an opportunity for formal spoken testimony on the draft permit. The event will end when testimony is complete. Spoken testimony will receive the same consideration as written comments. 

The Upland Finfish Hatching and Rearing General Permit regulates the discharge of wastewater from fish hatcheries in Washington state. Salmon, trout, and other finfish species are grown in hatcheries for a variety of reasons, such as commercial sales, fishing opportunities, and conservation.

Fish hatcheries in Washington must obtain coverage for finfish hatching and rearing operations to authorize discharge. The permit identifies various requirements and conditions to limit the discharge of pollutants — uneaten feed, fish fecal matter, and medications and disease control chemicals — to protect water quality.

The current permit was last issued August 2021 and is scheduled to expire Sept. 30, 2026. After Ecology receives and considers all public comments, we will prepare a Response to Comments and describe any changes to the draft permit. Ecology expects to make a final decision on the general permit in late summer 2026.