Saving Seafood

Hilcorp delays Cook Inlet seismic work

April 11, 2019 — Hilcorp will delay a planned seismic survey in Lower Cook Inlet this summer until after the peak of the summer season.

The Houston-based company had planned to conduct a 3-D seismic survey in federal waters off Homer, where it holds leases on 14 federal oil and gas lease tracts. The seismic survey would have covered eight of the lease blocks, according to a survey plan the company submitted to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

However, a number of snags held up the process. The company says the delay is in part due to holdups during the lengthy partial federal government shutdown, which spanned the new year and lasted more than a month.

Hilcorp also says it will delay its planned work until after the height of the fishing and tourist season. Those two industries are primary drivers of the economy in Homer and the surrounding area. Homer attracts tourists from all over the world each summer, many of whom come to fish for the region’s famously abundant Pacific halibut. A large commercial fleet based in Homer and the surrounding communities also fishes for halibut between March and November and for Pacific salmon during the summer season.

Hilcorp external affairs manager Lori Nelson did not give a precise date when the company plans to take up the seismic work again, but that the company understands that “the waters of Lower Cook Inlet are a shared resource.”

“We are actively engaged in discussions with our contractor to delay the survey,” she said in an email. “Our commitment to keep the community’s interests and concerns at the forefront will continue as we work to revise our schedule and work plan.”

Read the full story at Anchorage Daily News

NEFMC April 16-18, 2019, Mystic, CT, Listen Live, View Documents

April 9, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council will hold a three-day meeting from Tuesday, April 16 through Thursday, April 18, 2019. The public is invited to listen-in via webinar or telephone. Here are the details.

MEETING LOCATION: Hilton Hotel, 20 Coogan Boulevard, Mystic, CT 06355; Hilton Mystic.

START TIME: The webinar will be activated at 8:00 a.m. each day. However, please note that the meeting is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday and 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday. The webinar will end at approximately 6:00 p.m. EST or shortly after the Council adjourns each day.

WEBINAR REGISTRATION: Online access to the meeting is available at Listen Live. There is no charge to access the meeting through this webinar.

CALL-IN OPTION: To listen by telephone, dial +1 (415) 655-0052. The access code is 470-718-207. Please be aware that if you dial in, your regular phone charges will apply.

AGENDA: The agenda and all meeting materials are available on the Council’s website at April 16-18, 2019 NEFMC Mystic, CT. Additional documents will be posted as they become available.

EBFM: The Council’s Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management (EBFM) Committee will meet Monday, April 15, 2019 at the Radisson Airport Hotel in Warwick, RI to conduct business that will be discussed on Wednesday, April 17 during the full New England Council meeting in Mystic. More information will be available shortly at EBFM Committee, April 15 meeting.

SPECIAL SESSION – OFFSHORE WIND: The Council has organized a special session titled “Offshore Wind in the Northeast Region” that will begin at roughly 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 18. The purpose of the session is to better inform Council members and stakeholders about regional offshore wind development activities and the wide range of issues involved. The session will cover four primary subject areas:

  • The total scope of planned offshore wind energy development in the region with emphasis on projects off New England and New York;
  • The players involved and their roles in the process with emphasis on NOAA Fisheries consultations with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM);
  • Research and monitoring issues, including current efforts, implications for fishery independent surveys, and regional coordination initiatives; and
  • Updates on the timing and status of specific projects with an opportunity for developers to share pertinent information.

THREE MEETING OUTLOOK: A copy of the New England Council’s Three Meeting Outlook is available HERE.

COUNCIL MEETING QUESTIONS: Anyone with questions prior to or during the Council meeting should contact Janice Plante at (607) 592-4817, jplante@nefmc.org.

Fisheries alliance signs pact with NMFS and BOEM

March 29, 2019 — The Responsible Offshore Development Alliance has signed a 10-year collaborative agreement with NMFS and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management regarding the development of offshore wind energy projects off the East Coast.

The Washington-based alliance represents the seafood and fishing industries and has been working to voice and amplify the concerns of the maritime trades as offshore wind projects are being fast-tracked for approval.

“The fishing industry has expressed its concern about the potential impacts of rapid, large-scale wind energy development to coastal communities and sustainable fishing practices,” said Annie Hawkins, executive director of the alliance. “This agreement paves a way forward for fishing communities to give meaningful input to federal regulators in determining the future of our ocean resources.”

The agreement states that the federal agencies will seek to engage local and regional fishing communities in areas where offshore wind projects are being considered and work together to ensure decisions are made using the best available science. They will also determine how to incorporate industry knowledge into the offshore wind development process.

“Of course, any development on the Outer Continental Shelf must consider how these activities can affect current ocean users and the marine environment,” said BOEM’s Acting Director Walter Cruickshank. “That is why working with federal, state and local agencies, fishing communities, and the public in our process is such an essential part of our renewable energy program. We look forward to working with NOAA and RODA to balance the needs of all ocean users through extensive and continuous engagement.”

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Fishing Interests to Get Say On Offshore Wind

March 28, 2019 — The National Marine Fisheries Service announced Tuesday that it had signed an agreement with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance, or RODA, to collaborate with fishing interests on offshore wind energy development on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service is the primary federal regulatory agency in charge of marine life and habitats. BOEM, part of the Interior Department, issues leases for energy development. RODA is a membership-based coalition of fishing industry associations and fishing companies.

The 10-year memorandum of understanding says that NOAA, BOEM and RODA have mutual interests, including the responsible planning and development of offshore wind power and other offshore development that could affect fisheries, habitats and the industry they support. The agencies and the coalition agreed to collaborate and forge further agreements on issues of mutual interest.

The collaboration agreement comes at a crucial time in wind energy development, said Chris Oliver, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “This Memorandum of Understanding will help achieve NOAA Fisheries’ strategic national goal of maximizing fishing opportunities while supporting responsible resource development.”

Read the full story at the Coastal Review

US harvesters hope agreement with BOEM, NMFS amplifies voice on windfarms

March 28, 2019 — Annie Hawkins, executive director of the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA), a group that represents commercial seafood harvesters concerned about wind farms, says the 10-year memorandum of understanding her group signed this week with the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is a “really big deal.”

“It makes a platform and a mechanism for the fishing industry to give better and more impactful input to the offshore leasing industry,” she told Undercurrent News.

“There’s a lot of frustration in the commercial fishing industry. There are so many meetings and so many working groups and different parties involved, and there is an overall feeling that their input isn’t really being well considered. This provides a clear channel for us to be able to amplify the messages and concerns of the commercial fishing industry and those are being given full consideration in the regulatory process.”

Commercial harvesters are generally supportive of efforts to come up with renewable energy but they’ve been growing concerned and more outspoken about the recent proliferation of wind farms on the Atlantic Coast and how they might be disrupting fishing operations.

There are already 15 active wind farm leases on the outer continental shelf (OCS) between the states of North Carolina and Massachusetts, covering nearly 1.7 million acres, according to a press release. They generate more than 19 gigawatts of energy, enough to power more than 6.5m homes.

But the region is also vital for many endangered and threatened marine species, including the North Atlantic right whale.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

NOAA Raises Concerns About Effects of Wind Farm and Undersea Cables

March 27, 2019 — A federal agency responsible for the stewardship of marine resources has raised questions about the impacts of the nation’s first “utility-scale” wind farm planned for waters approximately 14 miles south of the Vineyard.

Responding to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s nearly 500-page draft environmental impact statement, the National Marine Fisheries Service, informally known as NOAA fisheries, said in a letter that many of the conclusions drawn in the report about the limited or modest effects of the project on marine habitat lack sufficient evidence and require further examination.

“We determined that many of the conclusory statements relating to the scale of impacts for biological and socioeconomic resources are not well supported in the document,” a letter from the fisheries service to BOEM states. “Specifically, impacts categorized as major appear under-inclusive, while impacts designated as moderate seem overly inclusive.”

Last Thursday, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission closed a public hearing on two, 220 kilo volt undersea cables that would run through Edgartown waters to connect the wind farm to mainland Massachusetts. Vineyard Wind, the energy partnership that won the rights in a federal auction to build the proposed 84-turbine farm, intends to bury the cables at a target depth of 6.6 feet below the ocean floor.

During the hearing, many members of the public who testified cited the BOEM draft environmental impact statement that, among other things, assesses the effects of the project on marine life as minor. But in the letter to BOEM, the fisheries service questioned those conclusions and requested a more detailed analysis of the project.

Read the full story at the Vineyard Gazette

Seafood industry group signs pact with NOAA Fisheries, BOEM over wind energy projects

March 27, 2019 — A U.S. organization representing the seafood industry announced on Tuesday, 26 March, that it reached a 10-year agreement with two key federal agencies regarding the development process for offshore wind energy projects in the Atlantic Ocean.

Under the terms of the memorandum of understanding signed by NOAA Fisheries, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance, they will seek to engage local and regional fishing communities in areas where offshore wind projects are being considered. They will also determine how to deliver industry knowledge into the offshore wind development process.

In addition, they will work together to ensure decisions are made using the best available science.

“Of course, any development on the Outer Continental Shelf must consider how these activities can affect current ocean users and the marine environment,” BOEM Acting Director Walter Cruickshank said in a statement. “That is why working with federal, state, and local agencies, fishing communities, and the public in our process is such an essential part of our renewable energy program. We look forward to working with NOAA and RODA to balance the needs of all ocean users through extensive and continuous engagement.”

Currently, the U.S. has leased 1.7 million acres offshore in the Atlantic for wind energy development. Once all are active, those 15 projects could develop enough electricity for 6.5 million homes.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Federal regulators, fishermen agree to consult on offshore wind

March 27, 2019 — Federal energy and ocean officials signed a formal agreement with commercial fishing advocates to work together on planning for offshore wind energy development.

It is a milestone for the East Coast fishing industry, which is pressing hard to have more influence over how the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is overseeing private wind power developers.

The 10-year memorandum of understanding between BOEM, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance aims to bring “local and regional fishing interests together with federal regulators to collaborate on the science and process of offshore wind energy development on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf,” according to a joint statement released Tuesday.

BOEM officials stressed domestic energy production is critical to the nation’s economy and security and that potential offshore wind energy is “located close to major coastal load centers, providing an alternative to long-distance transmission or development of electricity generation in these land-constrained regions.”

The statement also recognizes the fishing industry’s centuries-old place in the region’s economy and culture, and fisheries’ ongoing economic role in the seafood and recreational industries.

“Any development on the Outer Continental Shelf must consider how these activities can affect current ocean users and the marine environment,” said BOEM Acting Director Walter Cruickshank. “That is why working with federal, state, and local agencies, fishing communities, and the public is such an essential part of our renewable energy program. We look forward to working with NOAA and RODA through early and constant communication to ensure that the most recent information is available to decision makers.”

Read the full story at WorkBoat

Fishing industry, feds sign MOU on offshore wind

March 27, 2019 — Fishing interests and federal regulators have signed a 10-year memorandum of understanding in which they pledge to explore collaborating on the science and planning of offshore wind development off the Atlantic coast.

Signatories to the MOU released Tuesday are the National Marine Fisheries Service, also known as NOAA Fisheries; the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which is responsible for offshore wind; and the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance, an organization of fishing companies and associations concerned with offshore development for things like wind power, gravel extraction and aquaculture.

The MOU does not obligate the three parties to do anything specific, other than to consider working together.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

NOAA, BOEM, and Fishing Industry Sign New Memorandum of Understanding

March 26, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance:

NOAA Fisheries, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), and the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) signed a 10-year Memorandum of Understanding that brings local and regional fishing interests together with federal regulators to collaborate on the science and process of offshore wind energy development on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf.

Safe, reliable, and affordable domestic energy production powers the U.S. economy, promotes jobs and is critical to our nation’s security. Offshore wind is an abundant, domestic energy resource that is located close to major coastal load centers, providing an alternative to long-distance transmission or development of electricity generation in these land-constrained regions.

Fishing has occurred in New England and Mid-Atlantic waters for hundreds of years and is an integral part of the region’s culture and economy. Regional fisheries not only provide a healthy and sustainable source of food for both domestic and international markets, but also recreational opportunities for thousands of anglers, divers, and nature enthusiasts. Fisheries also support numerous shoreside processing jobs and support industries important to the economies of many coastal communities.

“Any development on the Outer Continental Shelf must consider how these activities can affect current ocean users and the marine environment,” said BOEM Acting Director Walter Cruickshank. “That is why working with federal, state, and local agencies, fishing communities, and the public is such an essential part of our renewable energy program. We look forward to working with NOAA and RODA through early and constant communication to ensure that the most recent information is available to decision makers.”

“With wind energy developing in the New England/Mid-Atlantic region, this collaboration comes at a crucial time,” said Chris Oliver, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries, the primary federal agency charged with sustaining U.S. marine resources and habitats. “This Memorandum of Understanding will help achieve NOAA Fisheries’ strategic national goal of maximizing fishing opportunities while supporting responsible resource development.”

RODA, which is a broad membership-based coalition of fishing industry associations and fishing companies, will work with NOAA Fisheries and BOEM to compile, develop, and deliver the best available scientific products and information necessary to address offshore development, fisheries management, and ecosystem health.

“The fishing industry has expressed its concern about the potential impacts of rapid large-scale wind energy development to coastal communities and sustainable fishing practices,” said Annie Hawkins, executive director of RODA. “This agreement paves a way forward for fishing communities to give meaningful input to federal regulators in determining the future of our ocean resources.”

Working together to engage local and regional fishing interests early and often throughout the offshore wind development processes will help develop a collaborative regional research and monitoring program and lead to scientifically sound decisions.

“This unified approach will help ensure the best possible science and information is used to inform offshore energy development planning, siting, and operations,” said Dr. Jon Hare, science and research director for the Northeast Fisheries Science Center. “Tapping into the expertise and the knowledge of the fishing industry is essential to this process.”

Focus on Engagement, Research, and Monitoring

Today, the Federal Government has 15 active leases covering nearly 1.7 million acres in the Outer Continental Shelf for potential offshore wind development. Collectively, these leases could generate more than 19 GW of energy – enough to power more than 6.5 million homes and further solidify our nation’s energy future.

NOAA Fisheries manages more than 42 commercially and recreationally important species as part of 14 fishery management plans. In 2016, approximately 4,600 vessels landed more than 1 billion pounds of key fish species, supporting roughly 140,000 seafood jobs. The region is also vital for many endangered and threatened marine species, including the North Atlantic right whale, necessitating protective measures to ensure their survival for future generations.

“NOAA is committed to assessing the impacts of offshore wind energy projects on these resources,” said Michael Pentony, regional administrator for the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office. “The development of offshore wind energy projects must be done in ways that support the protection and sustainable management of our marine trust resources, fishing communities, and protected species.”

The new Memorandum of Understanding identifies four areas of mutual interest, which include the responsible planning, siting, and development of offshore wind power and working with regional and local fishing interests. The parties agree to collaborate on: engaging local and regional fishing interests in the offshore wind development process; identifying the most effective ways to bring fishing industry expertise and information into planning and development processes; and developing a collaborative regional research and monitoring framework to ensure decisions are based on the best available science.

Collaboration with BOEM, states, and fishing industry interests throughout the renewable energy leasing process will help improve compatibility of offshore wind with other ocean uses and create an effective regional research and monitoring program that will help improve our understanding of potential ecological, economic, and social impacts of offshore wind development.

Read this story on NOAA’s website