Saving Seafood

NEW JERSEY: Divided by Wind

May 11, 2021 — Cape May County Chamber of Commerce President Vicki Clark April 20 provided the organization’s position on offshore wind.

With three minutes to comment, Clark demonstrated a balancing act, supporting renewable energy and welcoming the potential economic opportunities that would accompany billions of dollars in new coastal infrastructure, while also raising concerns about the potential impact to the existing local economies.

It’s a discussion that has heated up this year.

Ocean Wind, the furthest along of several wind power projects proposed off New Jersey beaches, envisions 99 turbines, starting 15 miles from the beach. The company, Orsted, based in Denmark, plans to begin construction by 2023 and generate power by the end of 2024.

Local citizen opposition groups formed, while some governments expressed skepticism, including the Cape May County Board of County Commissioners and Ocean City Council, citing the potential impact on the local economy.

Fishing industry representatives said the current plan would effectively exclude commercial boats from some of their most important fishing grounds.

“The current process in use by the BOEM identifies wind energy area sites without consideration of their adverse environmental impacts in the original lease selection, on the locations historically rich and economically vital commercial fisheries, or on the communities that support and benefit from those fisheries,” reads a statement from Scot Mackey to BOEM, on behalf of the Garden State Seafood Association (https://bit.ly/3o27mUf). “The only factors even considered in the initial location determination was visibility from shore and an attempt to minimize bird interactions, not the needs of other ocean users, particularly fishermen.”

Read the full story at the Cape May County Herald

NEW JERSEY: Board Hears Fishing Industry’s Fears of Wind Project’s Impact

May 3, 2021 — “So far, for the commercial fishing industry, (the offshore) wind (turbine project) does not seem compatible,” said Greg DiDomenico, of Lund’s Fisheries, in Lower Township.

“It does not seem we are going to be able to exist with (the project) in the current size and scale. The impact to the commercial fishing industry will be serious,” he continued.

DiDomenico was one of three industry representatives who voiced concerns for their livelihoods to the Cape May County Board of County Commissioners, at their April 27 caucus.

The others were Jeff Kaelin, of Lund’s Fisheries, and Scot Mackey, of the Garden State Seafood Association.

Their joint concern is for the Ocean Wind Project “farm” to be built by Orsted and Public Service Energy Group (PSEG).

Commissioner Director Gerald Thornton restated his opposition to the proposal that would impact fishing trawlers, due to the spacing of the turbines, and have a land impact by running cables, possibly from an Ocean City beach to the former B.L. England generating station, in Beesley’s Point.

Read the full story at the Cape May County Herald

New Jersey offshore wind to connect at 2 former power plants onshore

April 12, 2021 — A large offshore wind energy project planned off the coast of New Jersey will connect onshore to two former power plants, and cables will run under two of the state’s most popular beaches, officials said Tuesday.

At a virtual public hearing on the Ocean Wind project planned by Orsted, the Danish wind energy developer, and PSEG, a New Jersey utility company, officials revealed that the project would connect to the electric grid at decommissioned power plants in Ocean and Cape May Counties.

The northern connection would be at the former Oyster Creek nuclear power plant in Lacey Township; the southern connection would be at the former B.L. England plant in Upper Township.

Cables running from the wind farm, to be located between 15 and 27 miles (24 to 43 kilometers) off the coast of Atlantic City, would come ashore at one of three potential locations in Ocean City: 5th Street, 13th Street or 35th Street. They would then run under the roadway along Roosevelt Boulevard out to Upper Township and the former power plant, which closed in 2019.

Scot Mackey, of the Garden State Seafood Association, said the fishing community’s input was not incorporated into final plans for the project.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at ABC News

New Jersey commercial fishing operations counting on relief funds to stay in business

May 15, 2020 — The Garden State Seafood Association is hoping the $11 million recently allocated to New Jersey’s seafood industry as part of the coronavirus stimulus law will prepare it for reopening.

“The money should go to those businesses that have a proven negative impact from the COVID pandemic and should be used to help keep as many fishing businesses in operation as possible,” Scot Mackey, the Garden State Seafood Association (GSSA) Government Affairs director based in Trenton, told The Center Square.

Mackey said he hopes the funds can be distributed to impacted businesses soon, especially to commercial docks.

Read the full story at The Center Square

GSSA Thanks White House for Supporting American Fishermen

May 8, 2020 — The following was released by the Garden State Seafood Association:

Yesterday, President Trump signed an Executive Order to increase domestic seafood production, address unfair seafood trade practices, and ensure that the seafood industry is able to meet the country’s current food needs. The Garden State Seafood Association (GSSA) thanks the Administration for recognizing our nation’s vibrant fishing industry and keeping it competitive.

“We would like to thank President Trump for promoting American seafood, and the hard work that our fishermen do to provide the nation with essential protein,” said Scot Mackey, Director of Government Affairs for the Garden State Seafood Association. “The best seafood is American-made, from sustainably harvested fish and scallops to locally farmed oysters. This order will help the industry weather the current crisis and come back stronger.”

GSSA is grateful for efforts to create a more level international playing field for seafood. The U.S. has some of the strictest and most sustainable seafood management in the world. Combined with illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing worldwide, and trade barriers from other countries, U.S. fishermen are often at an unfair disadvantage. This order takes steps to combat IUU fishing, and address unfair international trade practices.

The Administration also recognizes the tremendous potential of U.S. aquaculture, which here in New Jersey means our growing farmed oyster industry. The Administration’s order looks to build on that potential by addressing current restrictions in the aquaculture permitting process. By streamlining this process and eliminating unnecessary barriers, the Administration is setting up U.S. aquaculture for a promising future.

About the Garden State Seafood Association

The Garden State Seafood Association (GSSA) advocates on behalf of New Jersey’s fishermen and fishing communities. Through closely monitoring regulatory developments, actively participating in the management process, and sharing the latest fisheries news and information with our members, GSSA holds our leaders accountable to the concerns and priorities of New Jersey’s hard working, historic fishing industry.

NEW JERSEY: Legislature Succumbs to Humane Society’s Misinformation Campaign Against Sustainable Shark Fishing

November 25, 2019 — The following was released by the Garden State Seafood Association:

The Garden State Seafood Association (GSSA) is disappointed with the passage of Assembly Bill A4845/S2905 today, which would prohibit the possession, sale, or trade of legally harvested shark fins in New Jersey.

The U.S. Humane Society and environmental organizations have been pursuing this anti- conservation legislation for many years. The bill prohibits the sale and trade of shark fins under the guise of stopping “shark finning.” The commercial sector and U.S. fisheries passed a law nearly 20 years ago making shark finning and the sale of those fins illegal across the country and in all U.S. territorial waters.

GSSA is certain that existing federal laws prevent any sale of illegal shark fins in New Jersey.

“All this legislation does is to penalize legitimate, hard working fishermen of the state,” said Greg DiDomenico, Executive Director of GSSA. “Instead of acknowledging the leadership of our commercial industry, which operates a globally-recognized sustainable shark fishery, those supporting this legislation will penalize New Jersey fishermen, forcing them to discard a natural resource for no purpose.”

“This legislation rewards illegal poachers in underdeveloped and less-regulated nations by removing sustainable harvested fins from the world market,” said Scot Mackey, Legislative Agent for GSSA. “It will only increase the value of the fins these poachers will continue to harvest, while preventing our well-managed and sustainable shark fisheries from utilizing the whole animal.”