Saving Seafood

Commercial Fishing Could Receive Subsidies for Losses Due to Offshore Wind

July 29, 2021 — Nine states along the East Coast that are frontrunners for American offshore wind farms over the next decade are in talks with the federal government about ways to mitigate revenue losses for commercial fishing once the farms are built out.

Commercial fishing industries in the Mid-Atlantic have long been opposed to offshore wind farms, which coastal states and the Biden administration are pushing as a necessary component of a greener power grid. The fishing interests, which argue that the wind farms will interfere with their operations, are seen as the last major holdout to hundreds of wind turbines in the ocean from North Carolina to Massachusetts.

Commercial fisheries say the wind farms, which would be spread over hundreds of nautical miles, could displace wildlife, and shorten the amount of time spent fishing while at sea.

The nine states initially proposed providing some sort of subsidy to commercial fishing in a June 4 letter to President Joe Biden. Reuters first reported Wednesday that talks have begun between the federal government and states in how to offset fishing revenue losses.

Read the full story at NBC Philadelphia

U.S. studies plan to pay fishing industry for offshore wind impacts

July 28, 2021 — The Biden administration is considering ways to ensure the U.S. commercial fishing industry is paid for any losses it incurs from the planned expansion of offshore wind power in the Atlantic Ocean, according to state and federal officials involved in the matter.

Discussions between state and federal officials, which participants described as being at a very early stage, are aimed at addressing the top threat to President Joe Biden’s efforts to grow offshore wind – a centerpiece of his clean energy agenda to fight climate change.

Commercial fishing fleets have vehemently opposed offshore wind projects, labeling them a significant threat to catches of crucial stocks including scallops, clams, squid and lobsters, by interfering with navigation and altering ecosystems.

That opposition has contributed to delays in permitting the nation’s first commercial-scale projects and is among the reasons the U.S. has lagged Europe in offshore wind development. Minimizing those conflicts could speed the lengthy federal permitting process as Biden seeks to add 30 gigawatts of offshore wind to the nation’s waters in just nine years.

Read the full story at Reuters

NEW JERSEY: Offshore wind opponents host energy contrarian Michael Shellenberger

July 27, 2021 — The Biden administration and coastal state governments are banking intensely on offshore wind energy as the long-term solution to reducing carbon emissions and solving the problems of siting new power facilities on shore.

Michael Shellenberger says it’s time to go back to the land – and nuclear power.

“If you really care about climate change, we’d be doing more nuclear power,” said Shellenberger, a longtime environmental writer and founder of the nonprofit think tank Environment Progress, at a July 15 speaking event hosted by opponents of offshore wind with the Save Our Shoreline group in Ocean City, N.J.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy last week signed legislation to quash Ocean City officials’ intent to block power cables coming ashore from Ørsted’s planned Ocean Wind project. Murphy and powerful Democratic leaders in the state Legislature who advocate developing that and other turbine arrays say they won’t allow local governments to derail the state’s renewable energy goals.

Shellenberger said New Jersey and other states already have options at hand to reduce carbon emissions – by maintaining and redeveloping power plants from the heyday of the U.S. nuclear industry.

“Wind uses significantly more” concrete and steel than building natural gas and nuclear power stations, Shellenberger told a receptive audience of about 150 in the Ocean City Music Pier.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

7 rescued by U.S. Coast Guard from fishing boat off Jersey Shore

July 26, 2021 — The U.S. Coast Guard rescued seven people from a 40-foot sport fishing boat far off the Jersey Shore on Sunday as bad weather moved into the area, officials said.

The crew of the boat activated their Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon, known as EPIRB, just after 1 p.m. as heavy rain, wind and waves of nearly 10 feet began flooding the vessel about 60 miles southeast of Cape May, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a statement Monday.

The Coast Guard at Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina sent an MH-60 Jayhawk and an HC-130 Hercules aircraft, while station Indian River in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware dispatched a a 47-foot motor life boat after being notified by watch standers at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay.

All seven people on the fishing boat were hoisted onto the aircraft and brought to Elizabeth City for treatment by local EMS, the Coast Guard said.

Read the full story at NJ.com

‘I can see the industry disappearing’: US fishermen sound alarm at plans for offshore wind

July 26, 2021 — For the past nine years, Tom Dameron has managed government relations for Surfside Foods, a New Jersey-based shellfish company. If you asked him five years ago what his biggest challenge was at work, the lifelong fisherman would have said negotiating annual harvest quotas for surf and quahog clams.

Today, he’d tell you it is surviving the arrival of the offshore wind industry, which is slated to install hundreds of turbines atop prime fishing grounds over the next decade.

While there isn’t a single wind turbine spinning off the coast of the Garden state yet, plans are under way for new offshore wind developments that hope to power more than a million homes with carbon-free energy over the next several years.

The wind farms are expected to create thousands of new jobs, but the price tag looks steep to Dameron, who fears those jobs and climate benefits will come at the expense of his industry. If wind lease areas are fully developed across the mid-Atlantic, Dameron said clam fishermen will lose access to highly productive areas of the ocean, which could send the multimillion-dollar industry into a “downward spiral”.

“I could see the clam industry in Atlantic City disappearing,” Dameron said.

Dameron’s fears are being echoed by fishermen across the country as they face the arrival of a big new energy business in waters many have fished for generations.

Offshore wind, which has long struggled to take off in the US due to high costs, regulatory uncertainty and fierce resistance from shoreside residents, is now surging forward under the Biden administration. In March, Joe Biden committed to building 30 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2030, enough to power 10m homes and avoid 78m metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Read the full story at The Guardian

N.J. Amps Up Wind Fight, Overriding Beach Towns Balking at Farms

July 23, 2021 — Offshore wind farm developers are finding one more thing in common with the fossil fuel industry: community backlash on both sides of the Atlantic.

Much like the resistance to fracking in parts of the U.S. and the U.K., oceanfront towns have fought against power lines running ashore from wind farms, even as the massive turbines themselves are mostly out of sight. In a dramatic move Thursday, New Jersey’s Democratic Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation that strips coastal communities of the right to block buried power lines for projects like Orsted A/S’s Ocean Wind 1 off the state’s coast.

The willingness to squash local opposition highlights one of the dilemmas faced by nations that are aggressively pushing to fight climate change: How to build big clean-power projects quickly when dealing with not-in-my-backyard sentiment. Denmark’s Orsted has repeatedly come across backlash against its wind farms, as have General Electric Co., France’s Alstom SA, Spain’s Iberdrola SA and Sweden’s Vattenfall AB.

“We’re not going to let NIMBYism shut this down,” said state Senator Stephen Sweeney, a sponsor of the legislation and New Jersey’s highest-ranking lawmaker. He added that some residents of Ocean City, a hotbed of opposition in the state, told him they could kill offshore wind. “Ocean City doesn’t get to make the decision for the entire state of New Jersey on a policy initiative. They just don’t.”

Read the full story at Bloomberg

They’re not blown away by New Jersey’s offshore wind power plans

July 19, 2021 — New Jersey is moving aggressively to become the leader in the fast-growing offshore wind energy industry on the East Coast, but not everyone is blown away by those ambitious plans.

While the state’s Democratic political leadership is solidly behind a rapid build-out of wind energy projects off the coast — it has set a goal of generating 100% of its energy from clean sources by 2050 — opposition is growing among citizens groups, and even some green energy-loving environmentalists are wary of the pace and scope of the plans.

The most commonly voiced objections include the unknown effect hundreds or even thousands of wind turbines might have on the ocean, fears of higher electric bills as costs are passed on to consumers, and a sense that the entire undertaking is being rushed through with little understanding of what the consequences might be.

Recreational and commercial fishermen have long felt left out of the planning for offshore wind, much of which will take place in prime fishing grounds.

Similar concerns have been voiced by offshore wind opponents in Massachusetts, France and South Korea, among other places.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at The Washington Post

Over 200 Offshore Wind Turbines Approved on the New Jersey Coast

July 15, 2021 — New Jersey paved the way for hundreds of wind turbines off the state’s coast in the coming years with 2,658 MW of offshore wind approval on Wednesday.

Two wind projects have been approved, providing enough electricity for 1.1 million households, officials said.

The approval will be added to the 1,100 MW already approved by the Public Utility Commission of New Jersey, which announced the approval of the new project at a special meeting. New Jersey currently approves more offshore wind than any other state.

The two projects are a 110-turbine wind farm by Atlantic Shores owned by European utilities Shell New Energies US and EDF Renewables North America, and an 82-turbine wind farm by Ørsted called Ocean Wind 2.

The Atlantic Shores farm is about 10.5 miles from the coast of the coastal town north of Atlantic City. Ørsted’s Ocean Wind 2 is about 14 miles from Cape May.

However, a huge amount of power still needs to pass federal permits and overcome potential hurdles such as fishing and proceedings from coastal areas. Neither offshore wind farm is scheduled to begin construction by mid-2023 at the earliest, and the two latest projects are not expected to be online by 2027 at the earliest.

Read the full story at Pennsylvania News Today

Donofrio Steps Down as RFA Executive Director

July 7, 2021 — The following was released by the Recreational Fishing Alliance:

After 25 years at the helm of one of the very first and most effective political action organizations fighting for the rights of U.S. saltwater anglers, Jim Donofrio will officially step down as Executive Director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) on December 31, 2021.

In a letter submitted to the RFA Board of Directors (Board) dated July 2, Donofrio announced his plan to retire at the end of the year, saying he was looking forward to fishing, hunting with his dog Joplin, and spending time with family and friends. His official letter of resignation outlines many of the RFA victories in the recreational fishing community since RFA was first established in 1996, while thanking the Board for their guidance and crediting national members, sponsors and supporters for work on behalf of the RFA’s quarter-century old mission, “To safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs and ensure the long-term sustainability of U.S. saltwater fisheries.”

Donofrio is credited with creating the first IRS recognized 501(c)(4) political action organization focused squarely on the needs of saltwater anglers, the recreational fishing industry and our marine resources. His unique vision to provide the community with a political voice at the state and national level was something unique to the legislative and regulatory process that governs how recreational fisheries, and fishermen, are managed.

“No one has fought harder for the rights of the saltwater angler,” said Viking President and CEO Pat Healey. “Jim has been an incredible asset for us, and the RFA wouldn’t be what it is today without him. We can’t thank Jim enough for all he has done,” Healey added.

A full-time professional captain in the 1990’s, Donofrio was logging hundreds of onboard hours per year when he became intimately aware of how regulations impact coastal fishermen, businesses owners, manufacturers and retailers. The value of his experience as a captain became apparent as he and the RFA grew into a disruptive force while engaging in battles over pelagic longline gear, a proposed endangered species listing for white marlin, and passage of the Sustainable Fisheries Act which led to the reauthorization to the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson) in the late 1990’s.

“I remember when the concept of the RFA was nothing more than an idea along the docks with fellow captains, when the concept of an advocacy group for recreational fishermen by recreational fishermen was first discussed,” said Nick Cicero of the Folsom Corporation, a former Jersey Shore captain himself and now a member of the RFA Board. “Jim’s vision and dedication to that cause will never be forgotten.

“From day one, Jimmy was a bulldog in our corner. No one fought harder for the recreational fishing industry than Jim Donofrio,” said RFA board member and White Marlin Open tournament director Jim Motsko. “He was effective because he did it and saw it; he was on the water. He is going to be deeply missed.”

“Jim’s greatest legacy is his unique ability to effectively voice the needs, concerns and rights of both those of lesser economic status and those who own an 80-foot sportfisherman,” said RFA general counsel and US ICCAT commissioner Ray Bogan. “He has always maintained a ‘no man left behind’ approach to fishery management and access. He doesn’t just remember where he came from, but he cherishes it and has fought incessantly to project the voice of those who wouldn’t otherwise have a voice.”

After founding RFA in 1996, Donofrio went on to establish and maintain strong working relationships with members of Congress – on both sides of the aisle – as well as with fishery managers and scientists during a 25-year political career. Recognizing that coastal fishing issues were non-partisan in nature, Donofrio worked effectively alongside democrats and republicans alike and was invited to testify before Congress numerous times on behalf of the recreational fishing community.

“There’s no better advocate for New Jersey’s fishing industry than my friend Jim Donofrio,” said Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ). “In the 27 years that I’ve known him, he’s always been dedicated to fighting for the recreational fishing industry in our state. He has worked to make sure that fishing regulations were based on facts and were fair to the hardworking fishing communities along the Jersey Shore. I wish him all the best for a relaxing retirement.”

“I am sad to see Jim Donofrio leave the RFA after many years of serving fishermen in the state of New Jersey and across the nation,” said Congressman Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ). “He was a vital resource for our fishermen, and we had the good fortune to work on issues that beneficially impacted the state of New Jersey. I wish him the very best in his future endeavors.”

Richard Pombo, former republican Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, called Donofrio “a trusted friend” on federal fisheries issues. “I have worked with Jim for over 20 years on every issue impacting the RFA. He has always been a passionate advocate for fishermen and extremely well versed in very complicated Federal laws.”

As someone who made a living on the water for much of his career, Donofrio was also able to maintain close working relationships with members of the commercial fishing sector, even as the two sides battled over gear and fish allocation issues. After spearheading national rallies on Capitol Hill attended by thousands of commercial and recreational fishermen seeking Magnuson reform, even those on the opposing end of RFA efforts came to respect his tenacious but fair approach in fighting for the recreational community.

“I remember the day back in 1996 when Jim cold-called me at the magazine to tell me about a new organization he was forming that he said was going to become the ‘NRA of salt water fishermen’,” said Barry Gibson, former editor of Salt Water Sportsman and now RFA’s New England Director. “I was initially kind of skeptical, but from the get-go he tackled some pretty thorny controversies and I was impressed with the results. Few people have the understanding of both the management and political sides of recreational fishery issues he has, and that’s why he’s been so effective.”

“It’s still remarkable to me that Jimmy went right from captain to Capitol Hill, launching what pretty much became the NRA for recreational fishing while creating a model for political action at the grassroots level,” said Jim Hutchinson, Jr., managing editor of The Fisherman Magazine. “Jimmy always understood the huge impact politics has on recreational fishing, and not being what you’d call a shy man, his persistence at all levels of government staved off a lot of dangerously restrictive regulatory measures.”

As Bogan noted, “Jim has ruffled a lot of feathers in the process, but he’s been committed to calling out inequities, hypocrisy, and unacceptable compromises that limited recreational fishermen’s access to fishery resources.”

According to the RFA, Donofrio will continue to lead the political action team through the end of 2021, and will further assist the Board with the organizational transition into 2022.

Is offshore wind for the birds?

July 7, 2021 — The northbound spring migration of shorebirds through the New Jersey coast raises an obvious question: What happens if there are 850-foot-tall wind turbines spinning in their flyway between South America and Canada?

The prospect of dozens, perhaps hundreds of wind turbines on the East Coast outer continental shelf raises questions of how those structures may affect the red knot, considered a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Developers Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind LLC engaged one of the world’s top experts to find out.

“The birds jump off from Cape Cod, Brigantine, Stone Harbor,” said Larry Niles, ticking off coastal Massachusetts and New Jersey feeding grounds for the red knots. “We know the birds are going through the wind (power) areas.”

I met Niles years ago when he was chief of New Jersey’s Endangered and Non-Game Species Program and started the Delaware Bay Shorebird Project, now in its 25th year of monitoring the migration. Today he has a consulting firm, Wildlife Restoration Partners, with years of experience assessing the health of red knots with other shorebirds and working on wind power studies.

Read the full story at WorkBoat