In January, NEDC and Center for Food Safety filed a new lawsuit to stop ongoing pollution of the Columbia River from a Pacific Bio Products facility in Warrenton, Oregon. This facility, owned by seafood and aquaculture giant Pacific Seafood, has for over three years been violating its Clean Water Act permit’s pollution discharge, monitoring, and reporting requirements. Most notably, the facility has regularly violated permit limits for chlorine, including monthly average total residual chlorine discharges over 4,000% of the permit’s limits. As recently as August 2025, the facility’s daily chlorine discharge was over 73,000% percent of the permit’s daily limit.
Industrial aquaculture facilities like the one at issue in this suit pose serious environmental risks and socioeconomic impacts to affected communities — especially traditional and indigenous fishing cultures. They can discharge large volumes of untreated waste into waterways, including excess nutrients, heavy metals, antibiotics, and chemicals.
The Warrenton facility is used to manufacture bulk seafood products including fishmeal and shrimp and crab shell products that are used as (or in) aquaculture and livestock feed, pet food additives, and fish oils.
“For years, Pacific Seafood has reported discharge data showing it is consistently violating pollution limits in its Clean Water Act permit,” said Jonah Sandford, NEDC’s Executive Director. “These pollution limits are in place to protect sensitive fish and aquatic life, as well as communities that depend on a healthy Columbia River. The hundreds of violations alleged in the Complaint show that the facility is causing real harm to this treasured ecosystem that must be stopped.”
CFS and NEDC are representing themselves in this case, and are also represented by FarmSTAND and the Law Office of Karl G. Anuta, P.C.
