‘Just one more nail in the coffin,’ Fishermen react to Vineyard Wind announcement
Ed Anthen-Washburn, the Director of The New Bedford Port Authority, received a constant stream of calls Wednesday afternoon after the announcements of offshore winf contracts.,,,”I think its fair to say to say the general reaction in the fishing industry is shock,” Anthes-Washburn said.,, The Vineyard Wind award for the power purchase agreement with Massachusetts was the worst-case scenario for Rhode Island commercial fishing vessels, for all squid vessels and really for the worlds calamari supply,” said Meghan Lapp, a fisheries liason for Seafreeze Ltd, which owns vessels that harvest squid, mackerel, butterfish, and herring. Lapp said Rhode Island lands more squid than the rest of the East Coast combined. >click to read< 00:08
Squid, Squid, Squid! This is not only about Scallopers’ difficulties transiting the area to get to their grounds! These proposed wind farm areas ARE the grounds for the Spring Squid run; and vital to the NY, CT, RI and MA fishermen. For many this fishing on these grounds happens to be a large portion of their revenue for the year—and absolutely necessary for the survival of these already marginal businesses, choking from over-regulation and Catch Shares Privatization!
See Lapp interview in the article :
“The Vineyard Wind award for the power purchase agreement with Massachusetts was the worst-case scenario for Rhode Island commercial fishing vessels, for all squid vessels and really for the worlds calamari supply,” said Meghan Lapp, a fisheries liaison for Seafreeze Ltd, which owns vessels that harvest squid, mackerel, butterfish, and herring.
“Lapp said Rhode Island lands more squid than the rest of the East Coast combined”
Please see this 2017 comprehensive report from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Division of Marine Fisheries for a statistical analysis of the impact (in the multi-$millions) of these wind farms on the local fishing grounds:
http://www.dem.ri.gov/…/pdf/RIDEM_VMS_Report_2017.pdf
For more information regarding values of fish in the local wind areas please see: http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/fishwild/pdf/RIDEM_VMS_Report_2017.pdf