Nordic Aquafarms - Humboldt Baykeeper

Nordic Aquafarms proposes to build a land-based fish farm at the former Samoa pulp mill that they say would use a mixture of fresh and salt water to raise 27,000 metric tons of Atlantic Salmon, discharging 12.5 million gallons of effluent daily through the existing 1½-mile long ocean outfall. Bay intakes would supply 10 mgd saltwater, while 2mgd freshwater would be supplied by the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District. Remodeling the former pulp mill would include removing the smokestack and other asbestos- and lead-laden structures, debris, and contaminated soil.

Click HERE for our comments on the County Coastal Development Permit and Special Permit, submitted on behalf of Humboldt Baykeeper, Surfrider Foundation, EPIC, NEC, Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities, and Sierra Club - July 27, 2022. To submit your own comments to the Humboldt County Planning Commission, send them via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Click HERE for our comments on the Draft EIR, submitted on behalf of Humboldt Baykeeper, Surfrider Foundation, EPIC, NEC, 350 Humboldt, Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities, Save Our Salmon, and Sierra Club - Feb. 18, 2022.
Click HERE for our scoping comments submitted for the Notice of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report on behalf of Humboldt Baykeeper, Surfrider Foundation, EPIC, NEC - July 6, 2021.
Click HERE for our comments on the Regional Water Board's draft NPDES permit on behalf of Humboldt Baykeeper, Surfrider Foundation, and EPIC - June 4, 2021.
Click HERE for our comments on the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration submitted on behalf of Humboldt Baykeeper, Surfrider Foundation, EPIC, NEC, 350 Humboldt, and Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities - May 24, 2021.
Click HERE for our initial statement on the proposed land-based fish farm - 2019.

We will continue to watchdog Nordic Aquafarms’ proposal, and will keep our members and the community informed of opportunities for input. To receive updates, send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Action Alert: Tell Humboldt County to Fully Review and Mitigate Nordic AquaFarms' Fish Factory

Comments are due May 24 on Humboldt County’s review of the environmental impacts of Nordic AquaFarms’ proposed land-based fish factory. The project would involve redeveloping nearly 36 acres at the former pulp mill in Samoa to produce 73 million pounds of fish per year. Twelve million gallons of treated wastewater would be released into the ocean daily, 1.5-miles from shore. Most of that water would come from Humboldt Bay, with up to 3 million gallons/day coming from the Mad River through existing pipelines.

Humboldt Baykeeper, Surfrider Foundation, EPIC, the Northcoast Environmental Center, the Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities and 350 Humboldt are teaming up to review and comment on the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration.

ECONEWS REPORT: From Pulp Mill to Salmon Farm? Examining Nordic AquaFarms’ Proposed Fish Factory

Is a massive land-based fish factory the best next chapter for a former pulp mill nestled between Humboldt Bay and the Pacific Ocean? Tune in to hear local environmental leaders discuss Humboldt County’s assessment of the impacts Nordic AquaFarms proposed fish factory might have on the bay, ocean, wildlife and climate – and ways to avoid or mitigate them.

Update on Nordic AquaFarms’ Proposed Fish Factory in Samoa

On last week’s KMUD Environment Show, Tom Wheeler of EPIC interviewed Humboldt Baykeeper Director Jen Kalt about the latest of the Nordic AquaFarms proposal to raise Atlantic Salmon at the former pulp mill in Samoa. Click HERE for a discussion on what is being proposed, issues and concerns, and the timeline for public input.

Humboldt County invites comments on Nordic AquaFarms project

On April 23, Humboldt County released its environmental review of Nordic AquaFarms' proposed fish factory at the former Samoa pulp mill. Comments are due May 24, and a County Planning Commission hearing is scheduled on June 3 at 6pm. The CEQA document and associated studies are posted HERE.

UPDATE: The Regional Water Board released the draft ocean discharge permit for the project. Comments are due June 4.

Fish farmers advance first permit applications

A huge indoor fish farm project has submitted a first round of permit applications and its managers are confident that regulators will find its environmental impacts to be minimal.

The Norway-based Nordic Aquafarms company took written questions and presented what its managers described as a “very low risk” project during a Sept. 9 videoconferenced public meeting.

Nordic has advanced discharge permit applications to the state’s water board and Coastal Commission. Humboldt County will take the lead on the project’s California Environmental Quality Act review and coastal development permitting.

Asked by Humboldt Baykeeper about use of chemicals to address disease outbreaks, anti-biotics and heavy metals, Noyes emphasized that land-based aquaculture facilities have “the ability to exclude parasites and pathogens” and a fish vaccination program will target “any identified pathogens of concern.”