Saving Seafood

MASSACHUSETTS: New England Is Not Prepared For The World’s Largest Offshore Windfarm

May 2, 2019 –Commercial fishing families, as stewards of the ocean, are concerned that a new industry is developing at a rapid pace without adequate science and risk management. By the end of the year, Vineyard Wind intends to begin construction on its 84-turbine offshore wind farm south of Cape Cod. It will be one of the largest wind farms in the world and it will be built on essential marine habitat.

By the end 2025, Vineyard Wind and other foreign-owned wind energy companies, plan to build over 1,000 turbines in a 1,400 square mile lease area. Combined, they will dwarf other wind farms around the world. And they will build it without adequate scientific understanding of the harm they could cause to the migratory route for millions of marine animals, the feeding grounds for right whales, and the traditional fishing grounds of thousands of fishermen and recreational boaters.

Read the full release here

NEFMC Hosts Offshore Wind Session; Discusses EBFM, eVTRs, RSA Program

April 30, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council met April 16-18, 2019 in Mystic, CT and capped off its meeting with a Special Session on Offshore Wind in the Northeast Region. The session was organized and hosted by the Council to give Council members and stakeholders the opportunity to learn more about:

  • 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 an emphasis on NOAA Fisheries consultations with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM);
  • Research and monitoring issues, including current federal, state, and developer-funded efforts, implications for the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s fishery independent surveys, and regional coordination initiatives through the newly formed Responsible Offshore Science Alliance (ROSA); and
  • Updates on the timing and status of specific Northeast Region projects.

Read the full release here

NOAA scientist: Offshore wind projects will likely affect viability of fishery surveys

April 19, 2019 — Upcoming offshore wind projects proposed for areas on the East Coast of the United States will have an impact on NOAA Fisheries surveys, presenting new challenges to scientists by potentially resulting in less-effective fisheries data.

At a special session of the New England Fisheries Management Council covering offshore wind, Wendy Gabriel, of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, outlined a wide number of concerns for the organization regarding the development of wind power along the coast. Chief among the concerns was the organization’s ability to continue conducting viable fishery surveys – which provide much of the data that the council uses to establish fishing quotas.

“The bottom-line here is, nearly all of the long-term fishery independent surveys that have coverage will be affected,” she said during the session.

There’s already a wide number of potential offshore wind projects planned for the east coast, with multiple leased areas totaling thousands of acres of land dotting the coast. Almost all of those planned areas overlap some of the survey “strata” which NOAA Fisheries uses to plan its surveys.

Typically, according to Gabriel, the center will randomly select areas of each survey “stratum” to determine where trawls will be preformed to get data on certain fisheries – from Atlantic sea scallops to surf clams. However, currently, leased areas overlap in every single strata area; at the lowest end, 30 percent of each strata is occupied by an offshore wind lease.

“Right now, we use a random stratified survey design, and that involves picking locations at random in a stratum, and now we’re not going to be able to do that, because there will be turbines in the neighborhood,” Gabriel said.

That could pose a problem, depending on how spaced out the wind turbines are, and what sort of uses are allowed in the wind energy areas.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

In Northeast, more research needed on offshore wind’s impact on fishing

April 17, 2019 — As plans for wind farms across New England’s waters progress, fishermen continue to express concerns about the impact of the burgeoning offshore wind industry on their livelihoods.

And while wind development is moving rapidly, scientific research on the impacts on fisheries has struggled to keep up.

But the tides may soon be turning, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the fishing industry, offshore wind developers, and government agencies.

Last week, the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance announced a new initiative to advance regional research on fisheries and offshore wind called the Responsible Offshore Science Alliance.

Read the full story at Energy News Network

Power of science: Alliance will call for fisheries-focused wind power research

April 11, 2019 — As wind energy initiatives blow across the bows of commercial fishing fleets on both U.S. coasts, stakeholders have noted the dearth of data on the effects of wind power in federal waters. Enter ROSA, the Responsible Offshore Science Alliance, which launched this week to fill the need for a collaborative regional science body to address fisheries and wind development. ROSA’s goal is to advance regional research and monitoring of fisheries and offshore wind interactions in federal waters.

“So much is poorly understood regarding the impacts of large-scale offshore wind energy development to fisheries and fish stocks, and studies that have been performed lack regional coordination,” says Annie Hawkins, executive director of the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance, which launched the new alliance. “This forum will be immensely helpful to the fishing industry so that it may provide leadership in study prioritization, methodology and execution through cooperative research.”

ROSA will bring together representatives of the maritime trades, offshore wind power developers, NMFS and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. RODA aims to create forums for dialogue on behalf of the fishing industry and is pushing to make sure fishermen are involved with the new organization as it begins to gain traction.

“America’s offshore wind energy future is dependent on scientists, fishermen and energy officials uniting under a common goal: safeguarding our invaluable marine resources,” said NMFS Director Chris Oliver, in support of the alliance. “NOAA Fisheries is pleased to be a part of this scientific endeavor to ensure our fisheries and fishing communities continue to thrive.”

ROSA’s initial focus will be on offshore wind development and fisheries from
the Gulf of Maine to North Carolina, but will be structured to address issues in other regions as wind power development expands in the United States.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

As wind giants set sights on NY, fishermen demand a role

UK fishermen tell locals of their experiences in Europe with offshore wind farms and how to organize.

April 10, 2019 — As global wind-energy interests set their sights on more than a dozen offshore U.S. energy areas, two longtime British fishermen who act as go-betweens to the offshore wind industry and the fishing community advised Long Island fishermen to stay vigilant and demand a seat at the table when waters are divvied up.

Two dozen Long Island fishermen gathered in Montauk Monday to hear how two veterans of Europe’s maturing offshore wind industry worked to bring their industry into discussions on siting projects in waters that have traditionally been their workplace. It hasn’t been easy, and successes have come only recently, they said.

Colin Warwick, chairman of the Fishing Liaison Offshore Wind and Wet Renewables, Crown Estate, said U.K. fishermen were initially caught flat-footed when wind-energy developers first started planning turbines for their fishing grounds. It’s taken time for fishermen to demand a seat at the table so that prime harvest grounds aren’t lost, and so that fishermen can be compensated if even temporary work limits access to those grounds.

“We had to find a way to bring the fishing industry into the discussion,” said Warwick. “Most importantly, you have to be organized.”

Bonnie Brady, executive director of the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association, said challenges continue. “We’re fighting on everything and we’re united as a group, but we can’t seem to get teeth in because wind farm companies keep saying, ‘I can’t hear you.’ ”

Read the full story at Newsday

 

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.

Responsible Offshore Science Alliance forms to advance regional research on fisheries and offshore wind

April 8, 2019 — The following was released by the Responsible Offshore Science Alliance:

Today, the Responsible Offshore Science Alliance (ROSA) launches.

After many years of discussion and recognition of the need for a regional science body to address fisheries and wind development, ROSA has formed. It will provide for and advance regional research and monitoring of fisheries and offshore wind interactions in federal waters. It is a collaborative effort among fishing industry representatives, offshore wind developers, and state and federal government agencies.

ROSA’s goals are to collect and disseminate salient and credible data on fisheries and wind development, and to increase the understanding of the effects and potential impacts of wind energy development on fisheries and the ocean ecosystems on which they depend. It will further seek to address broader aspects of the ocean environment that offshore fisheries and wind energy activities occupy, including pre-facility baseline activity and resource status, ecosystem-based fishery management, socioeconomic effects, cumulative impacts, and other relevant science. It will be structured with an Executive Council, Research Council, and topic-and geographic specific subcommittees comprised of scientific and technical experts of diverse affiliations.

The Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) was a key partner in forming ROSA, and will ensure continual, comprehensive fishing industry representation in ROSA’s efforts.

“So much is poorly understood regarding the impacts of large-scale offshore wind energy development to fisheries and fish stocks, and studies that have been performed lack regional coordination,” said Annie Hawkins, Executive Director of RODA. “This forum will be immensely helpful to the fishing industry so that it may provide leadership in study prioritization, methodology, and execution through cooperative research.”

NOAA Fisheries supports the development of a regional science and monitoring framework through ROSA. As the federal agency charged with stewardship of living marine resources, including fisheries and associated fishing communities, NOAA also has an interest in the responsible planning, siting, and evaluation of offshore wind power activities. “America’s offshore wind energy future is dependent on scientists, fishermen, and energy officials uniting under a common goal: safeguarding our invaluable marine resources,” said Chris Oliver, Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “NOAA Fisheries is pleased to be a part of this scientific endeavor to ensure our fisheries and fishing communities continue to thrive.”

Several developers including EDF Renewables, Ørsted, Shell New Energies, and Equinor Wind US have expressed support for ROSA.

“ROSA’s research and monitoring efforts will provide a collaborative approach to science in order to facilitate successful dialogue between the growing offshore wind industry and our long-standing fishing community,” said CEO of Ørsted U.S. Offshore Wind and President of Ørsted North America Thomas Brostrøm. “As the first offshore wind developer to partner with RODA, Ørsted believes in the need to strengthen dialogue in the communities where we work and deepen our understanding of the marine environment down the North American East Coast.”

“EDF Renewables is in full support of efforts to deepen the understanding of the effects of offshore wind development,” said Chris Hart, Head of U.S. Offshore Wind for EDF Renewables. “The ocean ecosystem and fisheries are of paramount importance as we move forward to build an energy industry in our oceans. ROSA, through a research-based approach will provide credible data to inform decisions and importantly the research will be cooperative bringing together the various stakeholders along with scientific and technical experts.”

“Offshore wind is one of the newest and fastest growing industries within the U.S., and as projects progress, it will be important to understand any potential cumulative impacts to ensure offshore wind projects effectively co-exist with the marine environment,” said John Hartnett, Shell Business Opportunity Manager for U.S. offshore wind. “We believe this collaboration with some of the industry’s key players will help to bolster research and monitoring efforts, which will ultimately allow us to make more informed decisions as we seek to responsibly develop our projects.”

ROSA’s funding is derived from annual contributors, including wind energy lease holders, with support from federal and state partners and other contributors interested in advancing ROSA’s mission. More information about ROSA can be found here. To inquire about becoming a ROSA supporter, please contact: info@rodafisheries.org.

Vineyard Wind commits to fisheries monitoring

April 8, 2019 — Vineyard Wind has announced that it will adopt research measures recommended by a local university to monitor the effects on fisheries of the 84-turbine offshore wind farm, which when operational could be the first industrial-sized installation in the country.

The company, which intends to begin construction later this year of an 84-turbine wind farm south of Martha’s Vineyard, entered into a multi-faceted agreement in 2017 with the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology. Part of the agreement was for the school to design an approach to research that would be capable of monitoring the effects on fisheries of the one-time construction of the wind farm. The approach also needed to be capable of handling longer-term, regional studies.

“The fishing industry has raised important questions about the impacts of offshore wind development on the marine environment and on sea life,” the company said in a statement released Friday.

While Rhode Island fishermen in February approved a mitigation package that includes $4.2 million in payments over 30 years for direct impacts to commercial fishermen as a result of the wind farm, as well as the creation of a $12.5-million trust set up over five years that could be used to cover additional costs to fishermen resulting from the project, tensions continue to exist.

“It’s this industry against the world,” Lanny Dellinger, a leader in the Rhode Island commercial fishing community, said at a February meeting. “Look around and see what you’re up against. That’s what we had to weigh as a group. There is no choice here.”

The methodology the school is recommending is based on workshops held in November and December, and pilot projects. The procedures should encompass an array of fish species, and an integration of methods that can support additional and on-going fisheries research; the use of a “nested and modular” study design for both a relatively small construction site as well as a wider region; the creation of a standing committee of commercial fishermen to review findings and make recommendations; and the use of local fishermen to provide vessels to support the studies.

Read the full story at the Cape Cod Times

SMAST studies on wind and fisheries poised to begin

April 8, 2019 — Fisheries scientists at the UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology will begin a series of studies this spring to evaluate the effects of large-scale offshore wind farms on fish populations and habitat.

As part of an agreement with a wind farm developer, Vineyard Wind, SMAST scientists will monitor commercially fished species during construction of the company’s 84-turbine project south of Martha’s Vineyard. The school will also launch longer-term research to evaluate the regional fishery implications of offshore wind.

The research will begin later this spring, according to Vineyard Wind. SMAST has already conducted a Vineyard Wind-funded trial of video trawling in the wind energy area.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times