December 14, 2022 — The following was released by Responsible Offshore Development Alliance:
Today, nine Atlantic Coast States released a request for information (RFI) to receive feedback on a regional administrator for fisheries compensatory mitigation from offshore wind development.
The Commonwealth of Virginia acknowledges the great value of the commercial fishing industry and the need for their engagement in potential offshore wind development as early as possible. The Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) is responsible for the management of Virginia’s marine and aquatic resources, including the responsibility to ensure our historic seafood industry is maintained as economically healthy and sustainable. VMRC has been working toward encouraging early avoidance of fisheries resources with the goal of a coexisting relationship between renewable energy development and commercial fishing.
Through the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program, the Commonwealth has supported the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) to coordinate a critical group of commercial fisheries advisors to provide initial feedback on the States’ scoping effort and RFI. RODA is a coalition of fishery-dependent companies, associations and community members committed to improving the compatibility of new offshore development with their businesses. RODA is uniquely positioned to facilitate the involvement from the commercial fishing industries in the New England, Mid Atlantic, Gulf of Maine and Pacific regions as they relate to offshore wind development. “As providers of sustainable seafood, our members are deeply invested in protecting U.S. fisheries and are grateful to the Commonwealth of Virginia for the opportunity to participate in initial discussions of this state-led effort. It is essential that impacted parties have a central role in designing and administering strategies that will most effectively mitigate impacts of offshore wind, and we look forward to continuing to refine an equitable and appropriate compensation strategy,” said Lane Johnston, Programs Manager at RODA.
“The commercial fishing community are stewards of their resources and we as Virginians have a responsibility to ensure their equities are considered as we embrace an all-of-the-above energy plan that includes offshore wind. Our goal to ensure the Commonwealth has a reliable, affordable, clean and growing supply of power can be possible while protecting the jobs of our important fishing industry,” said Acting Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources Travis Voyles. It is paramount that the fishing industry, as recipients of any mitigation and compensation strategies, are involved in designing a fair and appropriate regional compensation fund and administration process. The Commonwealth is committed to ensuring the fishing industry is an acknowledged equity throughout the development of offshore wind and through the design process of the RFI. The Commonwealth looks forward to hearing from all industry voices through the RFI comment period.