Like David against Goliath, the Martha’s Vineyard/Dukes County Fishermen’s Association and a well-known Menemsha draggerman last week filed a lawsuit in federal court against the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, claiming that the giant wind farm planned by Cape Wind Associates for Horseshoe Shoal in Nantucket Sound threatens to put Island fishermen who work the shoal, including squidders and conchers, out of business for good.
“The lease . . . to [Cape Wind Associates for 130 turbines] will effectively end all commercial fishing in the project area.
“Horseshoe Shoal . . . [has] the best grounds for the conch fishery, which is the largest fishery on Martha’s Vineyard in terms of landed tonnage and economic value,” the lawsuit declares in part.
Written by David E. Frulla, a partner at Kelley Drye & Warren in Washington, D.C., the 14-page complaint was filed in U.S. District Court last Friday. Plaintiffs in the case are the association, which represents about 100 commercial fishermen, and Jonathan Mayhew of Chilmark, who operates the Quitsa Strider out of Menemsha and trawls Horseshoe Shoal for squid.
Mr. Doty and Mr. Mayhew admitted they have no way to pay for the lawsuit, but they hope to attract donations to their cause. “We have no money. We are working on a plan,” Mr. Doty said.
Concluded Mr. Frulla: “These are people facing the loss of their livelihood. With the trend by the administration toward quota-based management, which is yielding further concentration of boats in the industry, they are already facing a tough headwind. The small family-owned fishing boats are in trouble.”
Read the complete story from The Vineyard Gazette Online.