Category Archives: International
County residents butt heads with harbor commissioners over offshore wind
Unhappy residents accused Port San Luis Harbor District commissioners of being untruthful about their connections to offshore wind companies during a chaotic, heated Aug. 27 meeting. “I would like clarification on why several days before your last meeting [July 23] why Clean Energy Terminals had on their website that you were partners, in partnership, and that you had come to an agreement,” REACT Alliance President Mandy Davis asked during public comment. “It was there on their website and to refer to someone as a partner is very, very specific.” Davis’ comment comes a month after commissioners voted 3-2, with Commissioners Mary Matakovich and Jim Blecha dissenting, to collaborate with Clean Energy Terminals (CET) on studies focused on whether Port San Luis can be a potential site to support offshore wind development. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:42
Shetland MSP Raises Concerns Over Non-UK Fishing Vessels in Scottish Waters
Beatrice Wishart, MSP for the Shetland Islands and member of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, has raised a series of questions in the Scottish Parliament regarding the monitoring and licensing of non-UK registered fishing vessels operating in Scottish waters. Wishart’s first question sought clarity on the number of non-UK registered vessels licensed to fish in Scottish waters. Gougeon responded by stating that the licensing of these vessels is managed by the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). As of August 12, 2024, there were 1,549 EU vessels, 213 Norwegian vessels, and 26 Faroese vessels with access licenses to fish in UK waters. This substantial number of foreign vessels highlights the significant presence of non-UK fleets in Scottish waters, raising questions about the impact on local fisheries and the effectiveness of monitoring and regulation. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:21
Maine’s mysterious floating wind research
The State of Maine just got a very strange offshore wind lease from the Feds. They call it a research lease as opposed to a commercial development lease. It has some mysterious features that are worth pondering. There may even be a many billion-dollar trick here. We consider that at the end, after briefly explaining the mysteries. To begin with, the lease is for a 144 MW “research array” of turbines, as it is called. Well, 144 MW is huge for research. The South Fork Wind site (fixed, not floating) that is already running is a 12-turbine, 132 MW commercial facility, so this array will be bigger than commercial. It could cost $3 billion-plus the cost of the factory to make the dozen or so floaters. Different websites suggest different turbine sizes from 10 to 12 MW. Of course, if this is really research, they might use a variety of sizes, but the total is still huge. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:14
New NOAA opinion: Wind farm pile driving causing “temporary disturbance” causing “temporary disturbance”
The federal government has issued a new “biological opinion” on Vineyard Wind’s offshore energy project 14 miles southwest of Nantucket, finding that pile-driving noise associated its construction is likely to adversely affect, but not likely jeopardize, the continued existence of whales, fish and sea turtles listed under the Endangered Species Act. “It will have no effect on any designated critical habitat,” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries said in a statement. “NOAA Fisheries does not anticipate serious injuries to or mortalities of any Endangered Species Act listed whale including the North Atlantic right whale.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:01
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 44’x17′ Novi Lobster, Gillnetter, Scalloper
To review specifications, information, and 25 photos’, >click here< To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 06:25
‘We’ve Been Steamrolled’: Fishermen Protest Offshore Wind Following Turbine Failure That Shed Debris Into Atlantic
Scores of fishermen took to the seas Sunday to protest offshore wind developments after a damaged wind blade scattered toxic debris off the coast of Massachusetts. The blade, a part of the Vineyard Wind development, broke on July 13, spilling Styrofoam, fiberglass and other debris, some of which ended up on Nantucket’s pristine beaches. The flotilla protested the effects of offshore wind on fish stocks and ocean navigation, with roughly 20 ships making a sixty-mile round trip from New Bedford, Massachusetts, to the site of the broken turbine, Jerry Leeman, CEO of the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) and captain of the fishing vessel Teresa Marie. “Vineyard Wind was supposed to be one of the premier offshore wind locations in the United States, and it failed before it even got started,” Leeman said. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:04
Vattenfall in conflict over compensation with Danish fishermen
Fisherman Jens ‘Buller’ Frich believes Vattenfall is acting “provocatively” with its demand.
A legal formality has created a deep rift between Danish fishermen and Swedish energy company Vattenfall,,, A demand that frustrates Thomas Rahbek Sloth, chairman of the association’s committee on marine environment and offshore installations. He calls it an “unnecessary bureaucratic process.” “Vattenfall is playing the fishermen against each other. The fishermen supported the turbines. We thought we were supposed to be partners. Now Vattenfall is acting provocatively. They want every single fisherman to seek compensation. That’s clever. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:56
Wind Power: Broken Blades and (Maybe) Green Gouging
Say what you will about wind turbines, the steampunk wing of our glorious renewable future, their most dramatic failures have an epic quality about them — the toppling, the crumpling, the buckling, the bits and pieces flying through the air. The owner-operators of the two farms — Equinor for Empire and Orsted for Sunrise — are two of the top five global wind-farm investors and operators. They presumably know what they are doing, have access to attractively priced capital, good supply chains, and so on. In the last week, there has been a lot of talk from Democrats about greedflation, a convenient myth. They might want to turn their attention to greenflation, which is not, and indeed to any evidence of “gouging,” another of their supposed concerns, in this area. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:28
Fishing Flotilla Protests at Still-Damaged Vineyard Wind Turbine as Debris Continues to Wash Ashore
A flotilla of fishermen from across the East Coast gathered yesterday near the site of a damaged Vineyard Wind turbine to protest the perceived risks posed by offshore wind projects to the ocean and maritime communities. The protest, which also included a “Hands Across the Beach” demonstration on shore, highlighted growing concerns among fishermen about the impact of large-scale wind farms on their livelihoods and the environment. Vineyard Wind, which has been constructing towering turbine structures off the coast, has faced increasing criticism from local fishing communities. The concerns have escalated following a turbine blade failure in July that left fiberglass debris in the surrounding waters. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:53
Fish and chips price rise tops UK takeaways
The average price for a portion of fish and chips rose more than 50% to nearly £10 in the five years to July – while the cost of a kebab went up 44% and pizza 30%. Chip shop owners cite a “perfect storm” of costs in recent years, including soaring energy bills, tariffs on seafood imports and extreme weather hammering potato harvests. This all means a family of four won’t get much change out of a £50 note once they’ve forked out for their tea and added some mushy peas and cans of pop. “I’ve never known an onslaught of pressures in terms of costs going up,” said Jon Long, of Long John’s Fish and Chips in Dorset. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:08
Building trawler’s digital twin
Seine netter/trawler F/V Naoned, operated by Lorient company APAK, has been out of the water to be outfitted with sensors to measure every conceivable aspect of its performance. This is to gather data ahead of a refit later this year and the installation of a new propulsion system, battery pack and other technology. The concept is to develop a digital twin for the fishing vessel, so that a precise comparison against its performance with the low-emissions hybrid propulsion to be fitted later this year as part of the HYBA project, led by the Brittany Fisheries Committee and managed by Vectura Systems with the involvement of naval architect Coprexma and a host of other companies in the region. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:51
Gen Z fishing and farming communities form alliance
Gen Z food producers in Cornwall have formed an alliance to encourage people to buy local. The young producers are encouraging people to support the fishing and farming industries by choosing Cornish-caught and grown food. Cornwall’s Young Farmers and the Young Fishermen Network said they had come together in August to host an event teaching people how to butcher and fillet produce. The Gen Z producers, born between 1997 and 2012, hoped the partnership would “foster a stronger connection between the two sectors”. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:12
Shore Lawmakers Call for Hearings on High-Risk Power Cables for Offshore Wind Project
Senator Jim Holzapfel, Assemblyman Greg McGuckin, and Assemblyman Paul Kanitra (R-10) have issued a call for legislative hearings concerning the proposal to lay high-risk power cables through densely populated residential streets in Ocean County. These cables would supply power to a potential offshore wind turbine project, a key component of Governor Phil Murphy’s energy master plan. The legislators expressed significant concern over the potential risks associated with the project, which they argue is being pushed through without sufficient consideration for its impact on local communities. “Governor Murphy continues forcing through his reckless energy master plan with no regard to our communities and no concern for the cost, all to get his name in the news for making New Jersey the California of the East Coast,” said the Legislative District 10 Delegation. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:06
Blue cod numbers declining in southern waters
Declining numbers of blue cod in southern waters have prompted a review of catch limits for the 2024-25 year. A Fisheries New Zealand discussion paper says a survey of Foveaux Strait in 2023 concluded the abundance of blue cod in that area had declined by 57% since 2020 and the stock in Foveaux Strait was significantly overfished. “Catches of blue cod in [Southland and Sub-Antarctic area] have consistently declined for the last 20 years.” An average of 49 fishing vessels reported targeting blue cod annually over the last three years in the Southland and Sub-Antarctic waters. But poor catch rates had prompted the association representing those fishers and quota holders to ask for the fishery to be reviewed for the 2024-25 fishing year, starting October 1. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 21:38
Viking Traps score on board F/V Northwestern
The Viking Traps made by Norwegian company Proffteiner have been a success with Deadliest Catch skipper Sig Hansen, who has been trying them out on board Bering Sea crabber F/V Northwestern. The episode is aired on the Discovery Channel this month. The standard crab traps are roughly two metres square and a metre high, and weight around 300kg. These are lifted on board singly, and there’s no handling these traps by hand. But before starting fishing, it’s Sig Hansen’s first job to find where the crabs are, and that’s where the Viking Traps have scored. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:30
Wind Turbine Blade Fails on GE Vernova Turbine at UK Dogger Bank Wind Farm
A blade on one of the wind turbines at the under-construction Dogger Bank wind farm off the coast of England failed yesterday, August 22. Details on the incident are sparse at this point and neither GE Vernova, manufacturer of the blade, nor SSE Renewables the spokesperson for the consortium behind the project are commenting. This is the second failure of a blade at the UK wind farm although the companies blamed the prior one on a problem during installation. The wind farm however is also using the 13 MW GE Halidale-X turbines, the same manufacturing that confirmed a “manufacturing deviation,” causing a blade at Vineyard Wind 1, a U.S. offshore wind, to break apart in July. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:27
Fishermen organizing ‘flotilla’ protest against offshore wind
In response to recent concerns over offshore wind and with debris washing up on Nantucket and Island beaches from a fractured turbine blade, the New England Fisherman’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) has organized a “flotilla” for this Sunday, bringing fishing boats together to peacefully protest in unison against the offshore wind industry. Boats will be joining together in a “boat parade” from various areas of the east coast, said NEFSA founder and CEO Jerry Leeman, including the Vineyard, Nantucket, parts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and potentially New Jersey. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:03
Positive signs for fishing industry
New figures have revealed around 40 million protein portions are landed into Cornwall’s fishing ports every year. It’s been calculated by the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation (CFPO) based on the most recently complete landings data captured by Seafish. It follows the publication of research earlier this year, which discovered Cornwall’s seafood sector brings in £174 million pounds to the county’s economy and employs around 8,000 people. A number of signs aimed at educating visitors on the value of Cornwall’s seafood sector are going to be placed in harbours across the county. The first has been unveiled in Mevagissey by the new MP for St Austell and Newquay. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:33
SLO County activists oppose offshore wind projects. So they’re taking fight to national level
There’s a new national group fighting offshore wind development, and you may recognize some of their members. Two San Luis Obispo County anti-offshore wind activists have founded an organization called NOOA, the National Offshore-wind Opposition Alliance. So far, the group includes at least seven environmental and fishing organizations from the East and West coasts, according to President Mandy Davis. Group membership includes REACT Alliance, Protect the Coast Pacific Northwest, the Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Organization, Green Oceans, Protect Our Coast New Jersey, Protect Our Coast Long Island New York and the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association, Davis said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:43
Fatal Marine Accident Onboard F/V Séimi Reveals Safety Lapses
The Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) report, released on August 22, 2024, details how a crew member lost his life after being dragged overboard during routine operations. The vessel was engaged in shooting crab pots when the crew member on deck became entangled in the line of the last pot, leading to his swift descent into the cold Atlantic waters. Despite the crew’s immediate response, which included halting the vessel and retrieving the man within 15 minutes, the crew member, who was not wearing a Personal Flotation Device (PFD), could not be resuscitated. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:08
Europe must repeal its unjust seal products ban: Senators Manning, Busson and Duncan
For the first time, the European Union is reviewing its 15-year-old import ban on seal products. Implemented in 2009, the ban prohibits the general sale of seal products in EU markets with two exceptions: the sale of seal products derived from Inuit or Indigenous harvests, and the “occasional” importation of seal products for personal use by travelers. We are three Canadian senators who represent the country’s East, West and North and who recently spent more than a year studying Canada’s seal populations, seal harvest and seal products industry as members of the Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans. We are convinced that the EU’s import ban on seal products is not “fit for purpose.” The socio-economic impacts of this ban have been disastrous for communities along Canada’s East Coast and in Nunavut, and the conversation around sealing is rife with misinformation. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:12
Humber Ports Showing Significant Growth in UK Fish Imports
The Humber ports, operated by Associated British Ports (ABP), have solidified their position as the UK’s premier hub for seafood imports, according to newly released statistics. In the past year, the ports of Immingham, Grimsby, and Hull handled a remarkable 41.6% of the fish imported into the UK, marking a 10.5% increase from the previous year. This growth underscores the Humber ports’ vital role as a key gateway for the UK’s seafood trade. The strategic location of ABP’s Humber ports, coupled with their proximity to major seafood processing centers, has created a highly efficient and industry-leading hub. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:02
BOEM seeks public input on possible wind energy areas
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management officials are asking for feedback on possible commercial wind energy development in areas totaling 13.47 million acres off the coasts of North Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, or Central Atlantic 2. The Central Atlantic 2 Call Area “is broad to allow for flexibility to minimize conflicts with other uses, such as commercial fisheries, military activities, and vessel traffic,” according to the federal agency. This announcement builds on the input and planning that led to the first Central Atlantic lease sale on Aug. 14, the fifth offshore wind lease sale held during the Biden-Harris administration, according to BOEM. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:07
U.S. Offshore Wind: The Struggle Continues
This post updates the financial troubles of Denmark’s Ørsted, recent BOEM auctions, and pushback against Maryland governor Wes Moore. Today, operational offshore wind capacity is less than 50 megawatts versus the Biden-Harris Administration goal of 30,000 MW by 2030. Denmark’s Ørsted, the worldwide leading offshore wind developer, recorded a $575 million loss in the second quarter. In part, the loss is the result of disappointing developments in the U.S. The company has delayed commercial operation of its 704-MW Revolution Wind project off the coast of Rhode Island and Connecticut from 2025 to 2026. Ørsted’s ambitious U.S. offshore wind program has been lagging, despite solid support (subsidies, permits) from the Biden administration. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06;50
US Wind to offer compensation package to local fishermen
This week, US Wind’s senior director of external affairs, Nancy Sopko, confirmed that the company is developing a mitigation program for commercial and for-hire recreational fishermen. The announcement comes a week after the Worcester County Commissioners shared concerns about a potential agreement. “US Wind is adopting a compensation program to benefit commercial and for-hire recreational fishermen, a measure BOEM (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management) recognized as effective in our FEIS (Federal Environmental Impact Statement),” Sopko said. “US Wind and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources signed a Letter of Intent in July 2024 to develop a fisheries compensatory mitigation program by early 2025. Such a mitigation program could include financial assistance, assistance with equipment upgrades or training, and other services. We look forward to working with the state on outreach to the fishing community to further develop details of this mitigation program.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:09
New Jersey Residents opposing power cables: Don’t make us Guinea Pigs
When wind power is generated, it needs to go somewhere. And residents of southern Monmouth County say right now, they’re in the line of fire, as plans call for much of the energy produced by an offshore wind project — located nowhere near the county’s coast — to come ashore in Monmouth County and run underneath a handful of municipalities. “I think we still have time to fight this,” said Glenn Hughes, a founding member of the group Stop the High-Risk Power Cables. According to locals, contractors have already begun visiting the area to finalize their bids for a project to install the wind power transmission cables underground. The bids are due by the end of September. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:06
Bottom-trawl fishing consultation launched in Scotland
The Scottish government has embarked on a public consultation that could ban bottom-trawl fishing across 20 offshore marine protected areas. For 15 of these, the government is considering two options – banning bottom trawling across the whole site or protecting only ‘features’, such as reefs – where they are present. For the remaining five, only site-wide bans are being proposed. “These ocean havens are home to some of Scotland’s most incredible marine wildlife, and this is our chance to restore, replenish and regenerate Scotland’s seas,” said Hugo Tagholm, executive director of Oceana UK. “The Scottish government’s consultation on this vital issue is welcome and much needed.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<<< 18:52
Nantucket Select Board no fan of federal wind farm regulator
The Nantucket Select Board has released what might be described as a dispatch from the front lines of offshore wind development, a hot take on what it’s like to be a municipality trying to co-exist with the nation’s first industrial-scale wind farm. The hot take takes the form of answers to 25 frequently asked questions, some of which merely lay out the existing regulatory landscape Nantucket finds itself in while others criticize federal regulators for prioritizing national concerns over those of local communities. The Select Board sharply criticizes the main federal offshore wind regulator, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, or BOEM. “We do not believe BOEM is fulfilling its duty,” the board said. “We have seen little balance in BOEM’s permitting approach to offshore wind, which significantly favors industry developers, including foreign-government owned developers, over the legitimate concerns of US coastal communities and Tribal Nations.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:04
BOEM issues first floating offshore wind lease in the US
The lease area where the floating turbines will be deployed covers an area of approximately 15,000 acres located 28 nautical miles offshore Maine on the US Outer Continental Shelf. The area could allow for the deployment of up to 12 floating offshore wind turbines capable of generating up to 144 MW of renewable energy. The research array will allow the state, the fishing community, wildlife experts, the offshore wind industry, and others to conduct in depth studies and thoroughly evaluate floating offshore wind as a renewable energy source. As proposed, the research array will use floating foundation technology designed by the University of Maine and deployed by its development partner, Diamond Offshore Wind. UMaine’s floating platform, known as VolturnUS, was recently awarded a US$12.5M grant from the US Department of Energy. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:28
Gulf of Carpentaria fishing couple celebrates ’90 years’ doing a job they still love
Bruce Davey has been fishing commercially in the Gulf of Carpentaria for 50 years and can’t believe how lucky he is. “I came up in 1974 on a little timber prawn trawler that I sailed from Mooloolaba,” he said. “This year, I’m celebrating my 50th consecutive year at sea working hard for my country — and my wonderful wife Juanita is celebrating her 40th year, so that’s 90 years of fishing between the two of us.” 
Their boat is called the MV Wildcard and these days there are three generations of Davey’s living onboard, including grandchildren Ellica, aged four, and Finn, aged 2. “This is Ellica’s fourth mackerel season and she’s a great help around the boat,” Mr Davey said. Photos, audio, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:55
