Category Archives: National
Would offshore wind turbines save or ruin the Jersey Shore? Debaters rumble in Berkeley
Police officers filled Central Regional High School on Tuesday night, where tensions ran high as critics and proponents of electricity generated by offshore wind faced off with impassioned speeches during a hearing held by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Capt. Ed Baxter, a scalloper who docks at Point Pleasant Beach, said dredging to bury the power cables outside of important fishing areas, such as the Manasquan Inlet and Shark River, would have serious impacts on commercial fishermen. Rose Willis, a member of the Fishermen’s Dock Cooperative of Point Pleasant Beach, said that not only would local commercial fishing companies be affected by the offshore wind project, but also many small businesses that service or buy from their industry. more, >>CLICK TO READ<<
ICCAT North Atlantic Swordfish Stakeholder Engagement Session
The Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section to ICCAT is holding a public meeting via webinar session to receive an update and provide input on the development of a management strategy evaluation (MSE) for North Atlantic swordfish. The meeting is open to all interested stakeholders. The virtual meeting will be held by webinar session on June 13, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. EDT. Please register to attend, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:51
United States Navy testing wind-turbine powered aircraft carriers
The United States Navy is currently testing aircraft carriers powered solely by wind turbines announced Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro during a recent appearance at the US Naval Academy. The Secretary proudly spoke to the Midshipmen about the historic change. “We are embarking in a bold green direction, transitioning from the aging nuclear reactors of yesterday to the efficient use of sustainable wind energy, something we’ve never done before!” “The USS Al Gore will be complete with testing in late 2024. Initial testing has revealed a substantial decrease in speed which has only made the already dangerous take-off and landing exponentially more so. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:53
First Nations advocates resolve to put traditional fishing rights under international spotlight
First Nations delegates from Japan, Taiwan, Canada, Alaska, and Australia have met on the lands of Walbunga Yuin people on the NSW far south coast for the International Indigenous Fishing Symposium. Indigenous fishing rights activists in NSW are working with First Nations groups around the world to put a global spotlight on the battle to protect traditional fishing rights and cultural practices. The groups plan to work together to lobby the United Nations. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:56
Andrew Montford: Politicians must drop their ‘Comical Ali’ approach to offshore wind costs
According to officials at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), offshore wind power is around half the cost of electricity from gas turbines. But in Parliament recently, David Frost exposed the problem with this claim. If what DESNZ says is true, he observed, it is hard to understand why we still have to subsidise windfarms. And harder still to understand why we have just had to give them a 70 per cent increase in the guaranteed price they receive. It was striking that the energy minister Martin Callanan, responding for the Government, failed to answer the question, merely reiterating the claim that wind is cheaper than gas. His evasion tells a story and highlights the great deception at the heart of the Net Zero policy. For years, governments have told us of a revolution in windfarms costs. Developers may even have believed it themselves, submitting extraordinarily low bids into the renewables auctions. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:18
Old Glory convoy headed to Alaska’s Denali National Park in wake of flag ban on construction trucks
Despite a decision by Denali National Park officials to bar construction workers in the park from displaying American flags from their trucks, Old Glory will be on full display on May 26. In the wake of park officials’ decision to ban U.S. flags from construction vehicles, Alaskans are planning a patriotic convoy to the park’s main entrance. News of the flag ban on construction vehicles has spread across the nation ever since the Alaska Watchman first broke the story on May 23, when a construction worker blew the whistle. He said the workers were barred from flying flags atop their trucks and equipment because the sight of Old Glory was deemed to detract from the visitors’ experience. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:52
Wind farm opponents vow to ‘stay in the fight’
Opponents of offshore wind energy farms warned during a rally Saturday in Ocean City that the legal battle is far from over in their efforts to prevent what they called the “industrialization of our ocean.” Last year, the Danish energy company Orsted scrapped plans to build two wind farms off the South Jersey coast after concluding that the projects would not be worth the enormous development cost. However, opponents stressed during the rally that Orsted still holds the leases giving it rights to build the wind farms and could either revive them or sell them to another company that would develop the projects. “It’s not over. Stay in the fight,” said former Superior Court Judge Michael Donohue, who has headed Cape May County’s legal strategy to block the wind farms. photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:04
Who Gets to Say What the Rules Are?
Who gets to make the rules in American government? One of the most controversial and important cases before the Supreme Court concerns that crucial question. Congress makes the rules for the federal government in the form of laws. But federal agencies must enforce the law and often must make rules of their own – regulations – to do so. And courts then sometimes must resolve disputes about whether an agency’s regulations are well-grounded in the statutes that Congress produces. About 40 years ago, the Supreme Court tried to make things less confusing by setting some ground rules about who gets to make the rules. The Supreme Court decided to create a rule about rules: It said that if an agency’s rule produced a reasonable interpretation of an ambiguous statute passed by Congress, then courts should defer to the agency. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:08
NOAA starts review process to list Alaska Chinooks as threatened or endangered
NOAA Fisheries on Thursday announced a 90-day finding on a petition to list Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon “or any evolutionarily significant unit that may exist in the petitioned area, as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act and to designate critical habitat concurrent with the listing.” The listing proposal comes after pressure from the Wild Fish Conservancy in Seattle, which filed a petition in January calling for federal protection of Alaska Chinook. “For decades, scientists have been sounding the alarm that Alaska’s Chinook are in dire trouble,” said Emma Helverson, executive director of the Wild Fish Conservancy. “Despite existing management plans and years of efforts by the state of Alaska, Chinook salmon continue to decline in abundance, size, diversity, and spatial structure throughout the state. Through this action, we are asking the federal government to undertake a formal status review and implement protections warranted under the Endangered Species Act, including designating critical habitat protections, to ensure the survival of these iconic fish.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:33
When a massive chemical plant came knocking, it was Hilton Head’s Black fishermen who answered
On a spring day in 1970, a small group of fishermen set sail to take on a giant. Shrimpers with the Hilton Head Fishing Cooperative boarded a 43-foot fishing trawler and headed for Washington, D.C., with protest signs, a petition and a mission to halt the building of a multimillion-dollar industrial plant on the banks of the Colleton River. What happened next is a story of perseverance through unlikely odds: A group of Black fishermen from a backwater sea island faced off against a state-sponsored $200 million chemical-processing plant — and won. It’s a story still told today. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:45
Vineyard Wind 1 Fisheries Compensation Program Application Deadline Approaching
This notice is a reminder to commercial fishermen that the eligibility period to apply for the Vineyard Wind 1 Fisheries Compensatory Mitigation Program ends on June 3, 2024. Commercial fishing vessel owners/operators must submit an online application prior to the June 3, 2024, deadline, to be considered for eligibility. The program is open to commercial fishing vessel owners/lessees in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island who can demonstrate historical fishing activities in the lease area, OCS-A 0501, which is south of Martha’s Vineyard. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:00
Cat to deploy methanol dual-fuel 3500E marine engines in 2026
Caterpillar Marine reports that it has made significant advances in the development of its methanol dual-fuel Cat 3500E marine engines. Under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Damen Shipyards, it will deploy the first set of field demonstrator 3500E marine engines in 2026. The Cat 3500E marine engines will use innovative dual-fuel technology based on proven diesel fuel systems that will supports vessels’ low-pressure – below 10 bar – fuel systems. The methanol dual-fuel Cat 3500E engine targets the same performance and durability as the current 3500E diesel engine while meeting emission standards and delivering 100% power. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:53
A Historic Agreement – Canada and U.S. suspend all fishing for Canadian-origin Yukon River chinook salmon
Canada and the United States are suspending all fishing for Canadian-origin Yukon River chinook salmon for seven years in an attempt to protect the dwindling species. The agreement covers the length of one life cycle of the fish and recognizes that the “persistent decline of chinook salmon” has led to an inability to meet conservation objectives in both countries. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< – Canada and Alaska sign a historic agreement to protect Yukon River Chinook salmon, To ensure the protection and recovery of Yukon River Chinook salmon, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game have signed a historic seven-year agreement. more, >>Click to read<< 10:33
Dungeness crab fisherman expand testing of pop-up traps amid CA’s continuous early season closures
For Brand Little and the crew of the Pale Horse, fishing for Dungeness crab is an increasingly tight business. Like the rest of the fleet, he’s watched the crabbing season shrink, with early closures meant to protect migrating whales from becoming entangled in trap lines. But this season, he’s still pushing his traps into the sea, weeks after last month’s official closing. It’s part of an experimental program that’s now expanded to more than two dozen boats. All using special pop-up trap systems, designed to avoid entanglements. “It’s a lot more work. Takes maybe three to four times as long as traditional gear. It’s not easy, but what we’ve been going through isn’t easy either. I mean, we’ve had 80% of our opportunity taken away,” Little said. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:09
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 38′ Calvin Beal Lobster Boat, 450HP Cummins
To review specifications, information, and 30 photos’, >click here<, To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 07:26
Wind Farm Opponents to Host Rally in Ocean City
Opponents of offshore wind farms are holding a rally Saturday to continue their fight against what they believe could harm the environment, the tourism industry, commercial fishing operations and marine life. The second annual “Stop Offshore Wind” rally will begin at 9:30 a.m. in Mark Soifer Park, across from City Hall in Ocean City. The rally will proceed with a march across the Route 52 causeway bridge connecting Ocean City and Somers Point. Danish wind farm developer Orsted announced on Oct. 31 that it was halting its Ocean Wind 1 and Ocean Wind 2 projects. Representatives of the company maintained that it wouldn’t be financially feasible to do the projects. In a rally flyer advertising Saturday’s event, opponents cautioned that they must continue to speak up against wind farms with the words, “The fight is not over,” despite Orsted withdrawing from the local project. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:28
Incidental Take Authorization: Sunrise Wind, LLC Construction and Operation of the Sunrise Wind Offshore Wind Farm, off New York
On May 21, 2024, NOAA Fisheries announced the final regulations to govern the incidental harassment of marine mammals related to the construction of the Sunrise Wind Project, offshore New York, and within the Massachusetts and Rhode Island Wind Energy Area. As required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the final regulations include mandatory mitigation measures undertaken by the wind developer that ensure the “least practicable adverse impact” on marine mammals and their habitat, as well as monitoring and reporting measures to better understand those impacts. NOAA Fisheries determined that underwater noise generated by the project’s activities over a five-year period may harass marine mammals. NOAA Fisheries determined that the number and manner of “take,” in the form of harassment, that may be authorized in a Letter of Authorization, will have a negligible impact on all affected marine mammal species and stocks. Impacts to a small number of North Atlantic right whales are expected to be limited to short-term behavioral disturbance (Level B harassment). more, >>CLICK TO READ<< – A summary and chart, >click here< 15:58
Technology Helping Prevent Whale Strikes
As many as 80 whales are estimated to die each year off the West Coast of the US as a result of ship strikes, and about a third of all Right Whale deaths in the Atlantic are attributed to ship strikes. Sperm Whales in the Mediterranean are also listed as an endangered species, and ship strike is their leading cause of death. Whale avoidance is clearly top of mind for mariners. It is time to explore how currently available technology can help in this endeavor. As the world looks to new technologies to assist in whale avoidance, it is important to ensure there is no impact on the whales and the environment. Likewise, as governmental regulations evolve, operating vessels near whales requires a strong understanding of the rules implemented to protect them. There should be strict adherence to safe practices that coincide with the use of the right technologies. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:42
Sea Harvest fishing trawler had ‘excellent’ record: Families of lost fishermen pray for miracle
The Sea Harvest fishing trawler that sunk with 20 crew on board had been serviced before it rapidly took water and sunk offshore from Hout Bay. The families of two fishermen still missing at sea remained hopeful yesterday for their loved ones’ return, after the search for 11 fishermen was called off on Sunday. Sea Harvest spokesperson Anthea Abraham said the vessel went for mandatory service. Faadiel Groenewald, 27, and Wilfred Swiers, from Pella near Atlantis, are among those presumed drowned after the trawler, FV Lepanto, sunk at around 35 nautical miles offshore. more, >>CLICK TO READ< 08:11
See which 8 NJ towns filed new lawsuits to stop offshore wind developer
Eight Jersey Shore municipalities petitioned the court this week in a new attempt to stop offshore wind developers from moving forward with power projects along the New Jersey coast. Attorneys from the law firm of Pashman Stein Walder Hayden filed two appeals and one motion this week targeting the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s approval of part of the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind project. The law firm represents Long Beach Township, Beach Haven, Ship Bottom, Barnegat Light, Surf City, Harvey Cedars, Brigantine Beach and Ventnor City. Last month, the state department granted a consistency certification to a portion of Atlantic Shores’ project, which will build as many as 200 wind power turbines nearly 9 miles off Long Beach Island. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:01
Maine DOT seeks $456 million federal grant to help fund wind port on Sears Island
The Dirigo Atlantic Floating Offshore Wind Port Project. The Maine Department of Transportation said May 17 that it has applied for $456 million in grant funding from the federal government to help construct the East Coast’s first floating offshore wind port on a portion of state-owned Sears Island that is reserved for port development. “Maine has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help transform our economy, protect our environment, create good-paying jobs, and support the generation of clean, affordable, reliable energy for Maine and the region,” said Bruce Van Note, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation, in a news release. “At the direction of Governor Mills, we will work collaboratively across the Administration to bring every federal dollar available to Maine to help us seize this opportunity for our people, our environment, and our future.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:33
Filipino settlers introduced Louisiana to dried shrimp
In Lake Borgne off the coast of St. Bernard Parish, 18th century settlers performed the “Shrimp Dance,” which introduced Louisiana to dried shrimp. Filipinos, the first Asian settlers in the United States, established a marshland community called St. Malo. The community existed as early as 1763 when Louisiana and the Philippines were ruled by the Spanish government in Mexico, according to the History Channel. The hot, sticky climate and mosquitos reminded the Manilamen – as they were called – of their native land. The Filipino settlers are credited with revolutionizing the fishing and shrimp industries. Their Shrimp Dance, for instance, preserved shellfish before there were refrigerators. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:04
Tidal Vision, a startup turning crab shells into a green industrial chemical, is raising fresh cash
Tidal Vision, a green chemistry company founded by a former Alaska fishing boat captain, is raising more investment to fuel growth. A new SEC filing reveals $46.7 million in fresh cash. We reached out to the company for comment on the filing. Tidal Vision uses an environmentally friendly, zero-waste process to turn discarded crab shells into a valuable industrial chemical called chitosan. The material is something of a wonder ingredient and can be used in water purification, to preserve produce, to promote plant growth, as a flame retardant in fabrics, and in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. It offers a safe alternative to toxic chemicals, metals, petroleum products and pesticides used in industry. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:30
Something Smells like Rotten Fish in NH
Commercial fishermen are scratching their heads over the direction in which Erik Anderson, the president of the New Hampshire Commercial Fishermen’s Association (NHCFA), is taking their supposed organization. There is not one commercial or sport fisherman that supports offshore wind (OSW) in the Gulf of Maine except Eric Anderson. The construction and operation of these monsters have affected marine life, from the largest endangered whale to the smallest crustaceans. In a recent post, Mr. Anderson sent his members, he quotes, “It’s finally taking shape,” referring to the upcoming BOEM meetings and pending OSW in the Gulf of Maine. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:32
Andy Harris, Ocean City mayor voice new opposition to West OC pier plan
Wednesday, Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md-1st, Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan and Maryland lawmakers from the Eastern Shore delegation called on the Maryland Department of Environment to hold a public hearing in Ocean City to review its process for U.S. Wind’s planned pier in West Ocean City. The department already held a public comment hearing at the Wor-Wic Community College on March 25, but Harris and others are calling for another following “numerous complaints” received by his office that the hearing was held in Wicomico County as opposed to Ocean City where residents will be most affected by the pier development. “The West Ocean City pier is being developed with the purpose of expanding offshore wind at a time when the true impacts of offshore wind have never been properly studied,” Harris wrote. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:57
Unsealed federal lawsuit alleges Omega Protein skirted U.S. citizen ownership requirement
A recently unsealed federal lawsuit alleges that the lone menhaden reduction fishery in the Chesapeake Bay broke federal law by creating a shell company to cover-up its foreign ownership, routing profits to a Canadian company instead of keeping them in Virginia. Benson Chiles and Chris Manthey, two private investigators involved in environmental conservation efforts, brought forward the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in 2021 against Omega Protein under the False Claims Act, saying the company violated the Jones Act and American Fisheries Act by not disclosing that its owners are family. Ocean Harvesters, the subsidiary more specifically accused of wrongdoing, said in a statement the lawsuit is “without merit” and will be “vigorously” defended. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:48
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 54′ Steel Lobster/Scalloper/Longliner
To review specifications, information, and 35 photos’, >click here<, To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 08:07
Offshore Wind Cumulative Impact Issue Analysis
When the Feds finally do the cumulative environmental impact analysis for whales as mandated by the Endangered Species Act there are a number of basic issues to be resolved. Here is a quick look at some for the desperately endangered North Atlantic Right Whale (NARW). Cumulative refers to the combined impact of multiple offshore projects. The first issue is which projects to combine for analysis. NARW are found along the entire Atlantic coastal waters which bounds the geography. Other endangered critters are found along the Gulf and West Coasts. Projects can be in very different stages of development. Here is a hierarchy of sorts that gives several obvious options, from relatively small to enormous. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:07
Environmentalism is Dead?
Share this post