Category Archives: Mid Atlantic
Offshore Wind Farms : We’re from the government and we’re here to _______ you!
It is just another example of the commercial fishing industry being “thrown under the bus” for the benefit of more politically powerful interests-in this case the wind energy industry and the political support that has been generated by it. But then again, perhaps not. Gina McCarthy, described as the Biden Administration’s “Climate Czar” (actually the first-ever climate advisor) “said the administration already took those complaints.” These are the comments RODA and various other folks and organizations made on the COP which were never addressed. “McCarthy said offshore wind is emerging as an even more important linchpin of the Biden administration’s clean energy strategy than had originally been expected. There are about 16 projects currently in the pipeline,,, >click to read< 15:52
Transport Canada urged to enforce ship speed limits protecting endangered right whales
For the second year in a row, the majority of vessels passing through the Cabot Strait, between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia on Canada’s East Coast, are not complying with a Transport Canada voluntary slowdown request intended to protect critically endangered North Atlantic right whales in a key migratory passage. The Strait is also the primary route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the country’s second-busiest port in Montreal. The voluntary initiative, established in 2020,,, >click to read< The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) released a key report called a Biological Opinion yesterday – >click to read<17:20
Biological Opinion to Protect Right Whales Met With Opposition on All Sides
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) released a key report called a Biological Opinion yesterday that calls for a 98 percent reduction in risk to North Atlantic right whales over the next 10 years. The goal is meant to be achieved over the course of four phases that correspond with increasingly tight restrictions on lobster and crab fisheries as well as other fixed-gear fisheries that use vertical buoy ropes. Vertical ropes attached to trap/pot gear is known to lethally entangle the whales. >click to read< 16:38
NAFTA 2.0? No shovel ready jobs in Joe Biden’s Offshore Wind Farm Big Blow Show! Manufacturing jobs years away!
Offshore wind project developers plan to ship massive blades, towers and other components for at least the initial wave of U.S. projects from factories in France, Spain and elsewhere before potentially opening up manufacturing plants on U.S. shores, according to Reuters interviews with executives from three of the world’s leading wind turbine makers. That is because suppliers need to see a deep pipeline of approved U.S. projects, along with a clear set of regulatory incentives like federal and state tax breaks, before committing to siting and building new American factories, they say – a process that could take years. “For the first projects, it’s probably necessary” to ship across the Atlantic, said Martin Gerhardt, head of offshore wind product management at Siemens Gamesa, the global offshore wind market leader in a comment typical of the group. >click to read< 10:58
NOAA Fisheries Releases Final “Batched” Biological Opinion & North Atlantic Right Whale Conservation Framework
NOAA Fisheries released its Endangered Species Act (ESA) section 7 Biological Opinion on the authorization of eight federal fisheries management plans under the MSA two interstate fishery management plans under the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act, and the implementation of the New England Fishery Management Council’s Omnibus Essential Fish Habitat Amendment 2. We also released the North Atlantic Right Whale Conservation Framework for Federal Fisheries in the Greater Atlantic Region (Conservation Framework). NOAA Fisheries has evaluated the effects of the authorization of the fisheries, as modified by the Conservation Framework, on endangered and threatened species. The 10 fisheries included in the Opinion are: >click to read< 12:22
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 38′ Northern Bay Lobster/Tuna, cruises 36-38 mph and 40 mph WOT
To review specifications, information, and 21 photos, >click here< , To see all the boats in this series >click here< 11: 47
Joe Biden’s Offshore Wind Farm Energy Mirage: Or ‘How To Squander $Trillions of Taxpayers’ Money’
For an example of how unhinged the Democrat’s energy policy is, then Biden’s offshore wind energy plan takes the cake. The fact that offshore wind power has already proven to be a phenomenally expensive way of generating electricity clearly hasn’t registered. Nor has the fact that it’s no more reliable than wind power generated onshore, and just as chaotic in its sporadic and occasional delivery. Or, maybe, the Democrats just don’t care about reliable and affordable electricity? Craig Rucker is president of the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow, a free market environmental organization dedicated to people and planet. Craig takes a look at Biden’s offshore wind power mirage. >click to read< 09:09
Commercial fishermen being ignored on wind farm projects
For the past three decades, Town Dock fishermen and their counterparts across the Northeast have struggled to stay afloat in the face of strict regulations designed to rebuild depleted stocks of cod, flounder and other species. But now that many of the species have rebounded and government regulators are increasing the amounts of fish they can land, the fishermen face a new threat: offshore wind farms. Longtime Town Dock fisherman Bob Guzzo said the federal government is giving away land that fishermen have used to feed people for more than 300 years. “I’d like to pass this on to someone else who wants to go fishing,” he said. >click to read< 18:54
This comment is excellent-Seems like we can add to the list of lies from big wind, if anyone is keeping score. I would doubt it, their whole industry is based on lies!
Coming To America! Danish Wind Farm Operator Suffers Massive Financial Losses
Apart from literally burning cash, there is no faster way to squander money than by piling it into an offshore wind power project. It’s hardly news that the true cost of generating electricity using wind power is staggering; the cost of doing so offshore is astronomical. Instead of producing ‘free’ energy with purportedly ‘endless’ sea breezes, offshore operators like Denmark’s Orsted is delivering a tale of woe for its shareholders. The Global Warming Policy Forum reports. >click to read< 16:13
New Bedford is America’s number 1 fishing port for 20th straight year
The National Marine Fisheries Service released its annual report on the health of the nation’s fishing industry on Thursday,,, New Bedford ranked No. 1 for the value of seafood landed at its port for the 20th consecutive year in 2019, with $451 million worth of fish hauled in by its boats. That was up by $20 million compared with the year before, and far outpaced the second-ranked Port of Naknek, Alaska, which had $289 million worth of landings. NOAA officials said New Bedford’s dominance remains driven by sea scallops, which account for 84% of the value of all landings there. >click to read< 14:21
Ørsted and Eversource partner with fishermen’s consortium – First Agreement of its kind
The agreement marks the first time an offshore wind developer and a commercial fishing consortium sign a substantial commercial contract in the history of U.S. offshore wind. Separately, Ørsted has also begun discussions with Sea Services to expand this scope into its Ocean Wind and Skipjack Wind Farms, serving New Jersey and Maryland respectively.,,, Sea Services CEO and co-founder, Gordon Videll, ”When our vessels and crews are not fishing, we will be providing Ørsted and Eversource with 24/7 monitoring of all designated wind project assets, as well as monitoring and education for vessels traveling in designated areas. As wind farms mature and grow, so will opportunities for the Sea Services consortium.” >click to read< 07:35
Ørsted, Eversource Hire Sea ServIces to Ensure Safety During Offshore Wind Farm Construction – >click to read<
Two members of Montauk Gossman fish dealer family charged with conspiracy and obstruction
Two Montauk fish dealers, members of the Montauk Gothman family, will be charged with conspiracy and sabotage in a federal court in Central Islip on Wednesday alleging illegally caught fish. Brian, Asa Gosman, and Bob Gosman Dock Inc. will be indicted in the indictment, according to documents submitted to the court of the Central Islip Eastern District Court. Christopher Winkler, a fisherman who allegedly sold Gossman fish caught above legal limits, was charged last week and acquitted of related plots and sabotage, his lawyer Peter of Northport. -Smith said he declined to comment further. >click to read< 18:05
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 37′ Duffy Tuna/ Charter, 650HP, Volvo 12L Diesel
To review specifications, information, and 23 photos, >click here< , To see all the boats in this series >click here< 10:05
State of New Jersey Needs to Address Community Offshore Wind Farm Concerns
Oersted is currently seeking federal permits for its planned 99 turbine wind farm 15 miles off the southern New Jersey coast. Public meetings held by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management held in April did little to calm the growing skepticism surrounding the project. Cape May County’s economy is heavily dependent on tourism and commercial fishing.,, Save Our Shores argues that the turbines pose a threat to migratory birds and marine mammals. The Sierra Club says those opposing the wind farms are doing so based on bad science. The Garden State Seafood Association contends that the location studies did not consider the potential negative impact on commercial fishing. >click to read< 08:22
Few assurances for fishermen in federal offshore wind approval
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.” >click to read< 16: 36
At-Sea Processors Association and Seafood Harvesters of America applaud “30×30” initiative
A Biden administration plan to conserve at least 30% of federal lands and oceans by 2030 is winning applause from the seafood industry, but questions abound elsewhere, raising political obstacles. Just about 12% of the nation’s land area is currently under some form of environmental protection, along with about 26% of the country’s ocean areas. The plan, an executive order issued by the Biden administration, and popularized as the “30×30” initiative, has won support from the harvester and processor sector of Alaska fisheries and others, (do you?) in that industry, but farmers and ranchers elsewhere remain skeptical. >click to read< 12:50
The bird people are willing to let them die for Offshore Wind Farms. The responsible wind farms, that is!
There is no shame when it comes to ignorance! “Renewable energy sources, including wind power, are essential to saving the lives of countless birds, in addition to saving our coasts.” – As the country takes stock of the first months of the Biden Administration, the waters of New England are playing host to the epicenter of one of the major climate commitments made shortly after the president took office. The largest U.S. offshore wind project to date, Vineyard Wind, has received the green light to start building off the coast of Massachusetts, promising to deliver 800 megawatts of energy to over 800,000 homes. As conservation organizations that are committed to the protection of birds and the ecosystems,,, >click to read< 08:42
We’re losing fishing grounds – Trump says Vineyard ‘will never be the same’ after Vineyard Wind Farm
Will Vineyard Wind, the nation’s first permitted commercial-scale wind farm, change island life in Massachusetts forever? Former President Donald Trump thinks so. On the day that the massive wind farm planned off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket won the federal approval from the Biden administration that it had been fruitlessly seeking from Trump for years, the former president weighed in with a touch of sarcasm. The project, however, still has opponents, including the commercial fishing industry and some environmentalists worried about how the farm will impact the migratory patterns of rights whales and other marine life. >click to read< 10:01
U.S. Commercial fishermen are frustrated by mask mandates from Maine to Alaska
Commercial fishing crews must be masked at all times, regardless of the number of people. The requirement stems from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rule issued in February saying all those on public transportation must be masked. The Coast Guard interpreted the rule to apply to all vessels, including commercial fisherman who sometimes work with crews of just three to five people. There are around 39,000 commercial fishermen in the United States. In a hearing with top administration health officials yesterday, Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) brought this up. saying they’ve heard deep frustration from fishermen who argue that wearing a mask while doing their work is unsafe. >click to read< 12:43
RODA Condemns Administration for Putting Goals Ahead of Fishermen Safety
Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA), a broad membership-based coalition of fishing industry associations and fishing companies, condemns in the strongest possible terms the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) issuance of a Record of Decision for the previously terminated Vineyard Wind 1 Offshore Wind Energy Project. BOEM continues to abdicate its responsibility to the public and leave all decision making to large, multinational corporations, including this Decision which includes effectively no mitigation measures to offset impacts to critical ocean ecosystems and commercial fisheries. >click to read< 09:21
My! How things have changed! Will there be a Flotilla to greet Joe Biden at the CG Graduation this year?
A Statement by Donald J. Trump on Vineyard Wind. Congratulations to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts for the privilege they will have in looking at massive windmills that have been approved by the Biden Administration and are being built, in China of course, as part of an extraordinarily large wind farm. Wind is an incredibly expensive form of energy that kills birds, affects the sea, ruins the landscape, and creates disasters for navigation. Liberals love it, but they can’t explain why. In any 
event, Martha’s Vineyard, an absolutely wonderful place, will never be the same. Good Luck! >click to read< It’s On!! The Make Commercial Fishing Great Again Flotilla 2017 Remember? >click to read< Looking back at Flotilla 2017, When there was, well, some kind of unity. Great photos that represent the end of an era. >click for photos< 07:30
Its National Shrimp Day! The Incredible Health Benefits Of Eating This Seafood
National Shrimp Day is celebrated each year on May 10 to recognize America’s favorite seafood. It is estimated that an average American consumes around 15.5 pounds of seafood annually, out of which 4 pounds is shrimp. There are more than 2,000 different species of shrimp found all over the world from the tropics to the Antarctic Ocean. The most common shrimp species in the United States include Gulf Brown Shrimp, Gulf Pink Shrimp, and Gulf White Shrimp. >click to read< 08:33
The last cowboys – a replay of the story of cattle in the American West
Norway, a country less than a quarter the size of Alaska, is on pace to bring 1.2 million tonnes of salmon to market this year, and the technologists in that country are talking about the potential to grow their production to 3 million tonnes per year by 2030. Chile, Scotland, the Faroe Islands, and Canada are all significant producers with lesser production in Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, France, Ireland and Finland. Meanwhile, land-based, recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) farms are threatening to lead to an explosion in salmon aquaculture almost everywhere. To truly understand the threat these farmers pose to the future of one of Alaska’s oldest and still largest industries,,, >click to read< 08:52
Fishery advocate Robert E. Best Sr. of Belford N.J. commercial fisherman/lobsterman/dealer, has passed away
Robert E. Best Sr., 78, of Belford, passed away April 20, 2021. Robert was born Sept. 20, 1942, in Long Branch, a son of the late Madlyn (Truax) and Frederick Best Sr. He lived in the Bayshore area all his life. Bob proudly served his country in the early 1960s as a part of the U.S. Navy’s construction force, the Seabees. In 1975 he found his true calling and became an independent commercial fisherman/ lobsterman. He and his partner, Jack Baker, opened the Shoal Harbor Lobster Co. in 1975 and ran it for 45 years until Hurricane Sandy destroyed the building. Bob was an advocate for local fishermen and the fishing industry in New Jersey. He worked with marine fisheries and senators. He was also the fisherman responsible for bringing black fish into the New Jersey fish markets. >click to read< 08:36
New Jersey: Testa Bill that Exempts Commercial Fishermen from State Unemployment Tax Advances
The bill, S-3501, would exempt commercial fisherman who are paid on the percentage of fish caught or a percentage of the selling price of those fish from the state unemployment law and its costly tax on earnings. “This bill will be a big help for New Jersey fisheries, an industry that has been hit hard by the pandemic and one that the state’s economy depends on,” said Michael Testa (R-1). “It will allow hard working, skilled fisherman to keep more of their hard-earned income, a change that suits the independent nature of the proud individuals who make their living at sea.” >click to read< 18:34
Joe Biden’s Offshore Wind Farm Mirage – a scam. The costs and impacts are enormous.
The only existing U.S. offshore wind operation features five 6-MW turbines off Rhode Island. Their combined capacity (what they could generate if they worked full-bore, round the clock 24/7) is 30 MW. Mr. Biden is planning 1,000 times more offshore electricity, perhaps split three ways: 10,000 MW for each coast. While that might sound impressive, it isn’t. It means total wind capacity for the entire Atlantic coast, under Biden’s plan, would only meet three-fourths of the peak summertime electricity needed to power New York City. Again, this assumes the blades are fully spinning 24/7.,, How many millions of tons of steel, copper, lithium, cobalt, rare earth elements, concrete, petroleum-based composites (for turbine blades), and other raw materials would be required to manufacture and install the turbines and undersea electrical cables, especially where deep-water turbines are involved? How many billions of tons of ore would have to be mined, crushed,,, not very green, these things! >click to read< 14:43
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 57′ Single Dredge Steel Scalloper, Ed Gamage built, offers encouraged
To review specifications, information, and 13 photos, >click here< , To see all the boats in this series >click here<– 10:46
Counting the Staggering Cost of Biden’s Offshore Wind Power Plans: Power Costs Set to Double
With Joe Biden and the Squad in the White House, American power consumers should strap themselves in for a very wild ride. Under his plans to spear or anchor 10,000 or more giant industrial wind turbines into the seafloor off America’s Atlantic coast, it’s not just the marine environment and fishermen who will suffer the phenomenal cost of Biden’s trillion dollar boondoggle. Power consumers in the States are about to be treated to the kind of punitive power prices suffered by wind and solar powered Germans, Danes and South Australians. >click to read< 10:06
Energy giant to hold forum with fishermen over cross-Sound cable route on Wednesday
Does Biden have an ocean policy? – Climate change and ocean industrialization!
Days after taking office the president signed an executive order to fully conserve 30 percent of the nation’s land and 30 percent of its waters by 2030. One of the world’s strongest supporters of 30×30 is special presidential Climate Envoy John Kerry. Biden also pledged the U.S. will generate 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030.,,, To keep its quickly-evolving ocean strategy salty, the White House has put some top marine people in charge. They’ve brought in Jane Lubchenco, Climate Czar Gina McCathy, nominated NOAA Chief Scientist Rick Spinrad to lead NOAA, and Monica Medina as assistant secretary of State for Oceans, Environment and Science. >click to read< 10:49
