Saving Seafood

Few assurances for fishermen in federal offshore wind approval

May 17, 2021 — Offshore wind developers have assured the commercial fishing industry all along that the thousands of massive turbines that they want to install in the ocean up and down the East Coast won’t block fishermen from waters where they make their living.

But the final approval issued this week for Vineyard Wind 1, the nation’s first major offshore wind farm, offers few guarantees to commercial fishermen.

Take for instance this passage from the Army Corps of Engineers in the Record of Decision for the 62-turbine project that would be built off the coast of Rhode Island and Massachusetts:

“While Vineyard Wind is not authorized to prevent free access to the entire wind development area, due to the placement of the turbines it is likely that the entire 75,614 acre area will be abandoned by commercial fisheries due to difficulties with navigation.”

Read the full story at the Providence Journal

Amid negotiations, R.I. fishing industry remains concerned over offshore wind impact, compensation

May 7, 2021 — What is the price of loss of livelihood?

This question is at the center of negotiations between local fishing industry representatives and offshore wind developers. And despite recent efforts to strike a better deal, some local fishermen say no number is high enough to justify the devastation they believe the projects will create for their jobs and industry.

The R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council at the urging of Gov. Daniel J. McKee delayed its approval of the South Fork Wind Farm to give developers Orsted A/S and Eversource Energy more time to reach an agreement with the fishing industry, the Associated Press has reported.

The CRMC through its Ocean Special Area Management Plan gets a say in the federal certification process for wind farm projects within a certain distance of the state coastline. Compensation is intended to offset losses from the construction and operation of the projects to the fishing industry.

The payouts help Rhode Island and Massachusetts fishermen, but there are no such benefits for fishermen in other states, even though many also fish in these areas. Other states also get no say in the federal approval process, unlike Rhode Island.

“Rhode Island holds the keys to the kingdom,” said Bonnie Brady, executive director for the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association.

Read the full story at the Providence Business News

Northeast squid: Recovery slow, but Rhode Island harvesters welcome restaurants’ return

May 4, 2021 — More than half of all squid landings in the Northeast come from Rhode Island. But last year, as a result of the pandemic, some Rhode Island fleets saw earnings dip by 30 percent.

Jason Didden, a fishery management specialist at the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, says that so far in 2021, total longfin landing are off to a slow start at less than 5 million pounds landed, compared to this time last year when around 11 million pounds had been landed. Illex season typically gets started in May and 2021 squid quotas are the same as 2020: 23,400 metric tons for longfin and 30,000 metric tons for illex. (The illex quota was expected to be reviewed in May.)

Coming off a troubling year has taken great effort. Kat Smith, Director of marketing and communications at Town Dock, a large processor distributor based in Narragansett, R.I., says “at this point, things are still not back to normal — although we’re glad that the light at the end of the tunnel gets closer every day. There continues to be a global shipping container shortage, covid-related disruptions, and now, the Suez Canal issue, all of which have supply chain impacts for seafood and many other industries.” 

Two Town Dock products, says Smith, Rhode Island calamari (longfin inshore squid) and premium domestic calamari (northern shortfin squid), which are both caught in Rhode Island and are Marine Stewardship Council certified sustainable, are always popular.

“When we look at our foodservice offerings, we are certainly better than this time last year — restaurants are ramping up with states’ reopening plans, and more people are vaccinated and excited to go out to eat. Calamari — and seafood, in general — has also enjoyed year-over-year growth in retail and grocery stores. The demand is very good; once the supply chain has sorted itself out, we are excited for the opportunities ahead.”

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Revolution Wind project moves forward with start to federal permitting review

April 30, 2021 — Plans to bring 400 megawatts of wind power to Rhode Island are advancing, with the federal agency in charge of issuing the project permits on Thursday announcing the start to its review process.

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in a statement said it will begin its formal review and decision on the 100-turbine Revolution Wind project proposed for federal waters off the coast of Block Island. The process begins with a public comment period and review of the project for its impact on wildlife, fishing and boating industries and other economic and environmental factors before the agency issues a final decision.

International renewable energy developer Orsted A/S, which jointly proposed the project with the utility company Eversource Energy, previously announced its original 2023 completion date would likely be delayed due to uncertainty in the federal permitting process under the previous presidential administration.

With BOEM’s announcement Thursday, the company will “soon be in a position to better refine the project’s timeline,” Orsted spokeswoman Meaghan Wims said in an email on Thursday.

In a statement, the company called the federal agency notice  “the most significant permitting milestone to date.”

Read the full story at Providence Business News

BOEM to start environmental review of proposed wind farm off Massachusetts, Rhode Island coast

April 30, 2021 — The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced Thursday it is about to open a 30-day public comment period for an offshore wind farm, Revolution Wind, planned for waters south of Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

This comment period kicks off the environmental review of the project. If BOEM approves it, Revolution Wind would be allowed to construct and operate an 880-megawatt (MW) wind energy facility. The Vineyard Wind project is slated to be 800 MW.

BOEM will hold three virtual public meetings and accept comments to inform the preparation of the environmental impact statement.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

RHODE ISLAND: Decision delayed on major offshore wind farm as McKee takes closer interest

April 28, 2021 — At the request of Gov. Dan McKee, state coastal regulators are putting off a key decision on the South Fork Wind Farm to give the project developers more time to reach a compensation agreement with the fishing industry.

Pressure is growing for Orsted and Eversource to find common ground with fishermen, as McKee’s office has signaled a closer interest in the talks.

The Coastal Resources Management Council was expected to consider a federal consistency certification at its meeting this week for the wind farm of up to 15 turbines that would be built in Rhode Island Sound and supply power to Long Island. Agency staff were preparing to present a recommendation to the council at the April 29 meeting and a vote could have taken place that night.

But last Friday, with the possibility that staff could recommend a denial of the certification, Orsted, the Danish company developing the project with utility Eversource, agreed to stay the proceedings and extend the deadline for a decision from May 12 to June 1. A vote is now set for May 25, according to Orsted.

“We fully support the CRMC’s new timeline, as it allows for more dialogue and opportunity to work collectively to reach a fair mitigation agreement and advance this important offshore wind project,” said Orsted spokeswoman Meaghan Wims.

Read the full story at the Providence Journal

Rhode Island Delegation Reintroduces Fishermen’s Fairness Act & Announces Nearly $3M to Help Local Fishermen Impacted by COVID-19

March 31, 2021 — The following was released by The Office of Senator Jack Reed (D-RI):

In an effort to give Rhode Island fishermen a voice and voting representation on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC), which manages some of the most important fish stocks for the state’s commercial fishing industry, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives James Langevin and David Cicilline, today announced the reintroduction of the Rhode Island Fishermen’s Fairness Act.  The legislation would add Rhode Island to the list of seven states with voting representation on the MAFMC, a regional management board that establishes fishery management rules for stocks primarily caught in federal waters adjacent to the mid-Atlantic coast.

The delegation also announced $2,967,000 in federal fisheries assistance funding provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act.  This new federal funding goes to the state and will be administered by the Department of Environmental Management.  Eligible commercial fishing, processors, charter fishing, and other eligible seafood sector industry members who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic may apply for a share of the funds.

The delegation helped include this funding for Rhode Island as part of a $255 million allocation for fishermen nationwide in the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA), also known as the ‘coronabus’ law, that was signed in December.  Previously, the CARES Act provided $300 million to states to distribute to fisheries participants through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries allocations.  Nearly $3.3 million of that fishery disaster assistance went to help Rhode Island fishermen impacted by COVID-19.

While the COVID-19 relief funds are critical, the delegation stressed the need for a legislative fix giving Rhode Island fair representation on the MAFMC.

“This is an issue of fairness.  The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is a key decision making body that determines what happens off the coast of Rhode Island, but our state doesn’t have a seat or say right now.  Our fishermen deserve appropriate representation on this council.  Mid-Atlantic-regulated stocks now represent the majority of landings for Rhode Island commercial fishermen.  It is time that our state has formal representation on this council and this legislation will ensure they get it,” said Senator Reed, who has been pushing this issue since 2005.

“Climate change is warming the oceans, causing fish that were traditionally found in the mid-Atlantic to migrate northward to the waters off southern New England,” said Senator Whitehouse.  “Rhode Island fishermen should have a seat at the table when decisions are made about those fish stocks.  I’m glad to join Senator Reed in working to get our fishing industry fair representation on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.”

“This is ultimately an issue about the livelihoods of Rhode Island’s fishermen,” said Congressman Langevin, who is introducing the companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives. “The majority of Rhode Island landings are Mid-Atlantic regulated stocks, and our fishermen should not be shut out of that regulatory process. All we have to do is look at the addition of North Carolina to the MAFMC to know that there is a precedent for this. It is time that Rhode Island fishermen be included as well.”

“It is imperative that Rhode Island’s fishing industry have a seat at the table on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council,” said Congressman Cicilline. “Rhode Island accounts for more fish landings in waters managed by the MAFMC than almost any state in the Mid-Atlantic region, yet our fisheries still do not have a say in how a significant portion of their industry is managed. I am proud to join my colleagues in the Rhode Island delegation in introducing this commonsense legislation which will fix this oversight.”

The catch of Rhode Island commercial fishermen represents a significant percentage of commercial landings of the Mid-Atlantic fishery, and is greater than most of the states represented on the Council.

According to data provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), between 2015 and 2019, Rhode Island accounted for approximately a quarter of the commercial landings from stocks under MAFMC’s sole jurisdiction, both by weight and value. The significance of commercial landings from stocks managed by MAFMC is growing every year for Rhode Island, accounting for 58% of Rhode Island’s federally managed commercial fisheries landings in 2019.  In 2019 alone, Rhode Island landed over 5.5 million more pounds of squid than any other state on the East Coast.  But, Rhode Island does not have a formal say in how this species is managed because it does not have representation on the MAFMC.

Without representation on the MAFMC, Rhode Island cannot participate fully in development of fishery management plans for Mid-Atlantic stocks, many of which are crucial to the Rhode Island seafood economy.

The Rhode Island Fishermen Fairness Act would add two places for Rhode Island representation to the 21 member Council.  One seat would be appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce under recommendations from Rhode Island’s Governor.  The second seat would be filled by Rhode Island’s principal state official with marine fishery management responsibility.  To accommodate these new members, the MAFMC would increase in size from 21 voting members to 23.

North Carolina was added to the MAFMC as part of the Sustainable Fisheries Act in 1996.  Like Rhode Island, a significant portion of North Carolina’s landed fish species were managed by the MAFMC, yet the state was not represented on the council.

CFRF Job Opening: Research Biologist

March 12, 2021 — The following was released by the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation:

The CFRF is seeking a motivated and qualified individual for the position of Full-time Research Biologist to start April 2021. Applications are due by March 26, 2021.

A full description of this job opening and application instructions are available HERE.

Overview of Position: Full‐time position focusing on collaborating with the commercial fishing industry to continue the Shelf Research Fleet, support an automatic squid jig pilot project and help execute at-sea work for pre‐wind farm development fisheries monitoring surveys.

Timeframe and Compensation: The position will last for one year, beginning in April 2021. The research biologist will maintain an average of 35 hours of work/week, will receive compensation at a rate of $48,000‐$52,000/year, depending on qualifications, and benefits of healthcare, paid holiday and paid personal time off.

Scope of Work: The qualified applicant will work with CFRF staff, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), and the fishing community to maintain the Shelf Research Fleet and utilize Fleet data. The project, run since 2014, utilizes modern technology and fishermen’s time on the water to collect oceanographic data in six study areas across the continental shelf south of Rhode Island. The individual will also assist with other projects conducted in collaboration with the local fishing community.

Location: : The Research Biologist will work from the CFRF office located in the Commercial Fisheries Center of Rhode Island building on the East Farm Campus of the University of Rhode Island (Kingston, RI) as well as from their home office.

Qualifications: See full position description for minimum and preferred qualifications.
To Apply: Email a cover letter, CV, and contact information for three professional references to twinneg@cfrfoundation.org by March 26,2021.

Questions: Contact Teresa Winneg at twinneg@cfrfoundation.org or 401-515-4890. Please visit here for additional background information.

Gina Raimondo confirmed as US Commerce Department secretary

March 4, 2021 — By an 84-15 vote on the afternoon of Tuesday, 2 March, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo as the next U.S. secretary of Commerce. In that position, Raimondo will be the top official in the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden to oversee the federal government’s policies concerning the fishing industry.

Raimondo was nominated for the position on 7 January and testified before the Senate on 27 January. She was sworn into her new position in the evening of Wednesday, 3 March.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Biden’s Commerce Secretary, Gina Raimondo, Confirmed By Senate

March 2, 2021 — The Senate confirmed Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo on Tuesday as the next secretary of the U.S. Commerce Department.

With a 84-15 confirmation vote that was delayed by a procedural move in February by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, Raimondo is set to lead one of the federal government’s most eclectic departments, which includes the Census Bureau, close to two months after President Biden announced the Democratic governor’s nomination.

As secretary, Raimondo is set to take on a portfolio of agencies that also includes the Minority Business Development Agency, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Raimondo, the first woman to lead Rhode Island, is cutting short her second term as governor of the country’s smallest state to join the Biden administration.

During the confirmation process, Raimondo emphasized the need for the department to address how the coronavirus pandemic has ravaged the economy and underscored structural inequities facing people of color and families with lower incomes.

Read the full story at NPR