The California Regional Water Quality Control Board, North Coast Region, adopted Order No. R1-2026-0052 on Oct. 1, 2026, rescinding Waste Discharge Requirements Order No. R1-2023-0019 for Nordic Aquafarms California, LLC and the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District ocean outfall and sea chest intake structures at Samoa in Humboldt County.

Nordic had proposed a land-based recirculating aquaculture system on the Samoa peninsula that would have used harbor district intake and outfall infrastructure to draw process water and discharge effluent to the Pacific Ocean. Staff materials described the proposed facility as a 10 million gallon per day aquaculture plant.

The board’s order finds that Nordic submitted a Certificate of Cancellation with the California Secretary of State on Jan. 14, 2026, to cancel its limited liability company registration, and that Nordic contacts failed to respond when board staff tried email and telephone. The Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District told the board the Nordic project was not moving forward and asked that the NPDES permit be rescinded.

A draft rescission order was posted for public comment from Aug. 16 through Sept. 17, 2026; staff reported that no comments were received. The order states that rescinding the 2023 waste discharge requirements is exempt from CEQA under specified California Code of Regulations sections.

Staff said the harbor district may pursue future industrial or commercial uses of the ocean outfall and associated infrastructure and would re-apply for an NPDES permit when projects are further developed.

Sources & methodology

This report was written from the primary materials below. Links open at the original publisher.

North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board North Coast Water Board staff summary

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