June 11, 2018 — SEAFOOD NEWS — A new lobbying group, the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance, has been formed by the East Coast Fishing industry to represent seafood interests in discussions and permitting around offshore wind development.
One of the criticisms by the industry of offshore development of wind power was that with a localized permitting process, there was no way for the overall fisheries impact of multiple projects to be recognized.
“The current, splintered approaches to engaging fishing communities in the offshore wind leasing process are ineffective and inefficient, and the result is that critical fishing industry expertise is not being considered,” said Anne Hawkins, legal and scientific counsel for RODA. “Fisheries need a unified effort to ensure they get the best possible offshore outcomes.”
Hawkins is a lawyer with Kelly Drye, the firm that has long represented scallopers and other fishing interests in New Bedford and elsewhere along the East Coast.
One of RODA’s first priorities is exploring partnerships with NOAA and the Atlantic states to develop collaborative scientific research. This research would address the lack of peer-reviewed information on the effects of offshore development to fisheries and fish populations. It would also be used to inform offshore developers and regulators in planning sites, awarding leases, designing operations plans, and developing mitigation strategies.
Another principal in the effort is Robert Vanasse, communications and media advisor to RODA. Vanasse founded Saving Seafood, and also works on other East Coast fisheries issues such as Omega Protein’s menhaden fishery.
“The industry needs to speak as one,” said Vanasse. “The offshore wind energy industry, and regulators at the federal, state, and local levels need to hear clearly the concerns of participants in our domestic fisheries. We will work to foster the productive dialogue among those parties that is urgently needed and sorely lacking.
Specifically, RODA will coordinate engagement between offshore development and affected fisheries to guide the planning of future offshore development sites, and to implement effective operations and mitigation programs for existing sites. By creating a united effort from fishing communities, RODA will facilitate more informed development of shared offshore resources.
This article originally appeared on SeafoodNews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.