Saving Seafood

Ocean Harvesters and Omega Protein Call for 15-Mile Buffer Zone from Offshore Wind on Central Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf

October 24, 2024 — The following was released by Omega Protein and Ocean Harvesters:

Ocean Harvesters, owner and operator of nine menhaden purse seine vessels, and Omega Protein, which develops healthy products from menhaden, have called for a 15-mile buffer from offshore wind development on the Central Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf. Responding to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) recently proposed Central Atlantic 2 Call Area (Docket No. BOEM-2024-0040), the two Reedville, Virginia-based companies wrote that their operations are incompatible with wind turbine arrays, and that critical adjustments are needed to protect the menhaden fishing industry.

Ocean Harvesters vessels harvest Atlantic menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay and in Atlantic Ocean waters from the mouth of the Bay to northern New Jersey, providing these catches exclusively to Omega Protein. This fishery, active in the communities of Virginia’s Northern Neck for over 140 years, supports the production of essential products for aquaculture, agriculture, and human nutrition.

On average, nearly 70 percent of Ocean Harvesters’ catch occurs in federal waters, with approximately 93,000 metric tons of menhaden harvested annually in the Exclusive Economic Zone between the Virginia-North Carolina border and Long Island. These operations rely on aerial spotter planes and a complex netting process to harvest menhaden, a method that is incompatible with wind turbine arrays. The range of the nets, the need for spotter planes to fly at low altitudes, and the drift of vessels during harvesting make it essential that a buffer zone be established around wind energy sites.

The companies recommend that BOEM move the boundary of Central Atlantic 2 Call Area seaward from the current six miles to 15 miles to prevent conflicts. Such a change would not only reduce conflicts with the menhaden fishery, but with many other small and large-scale commercial fisheries as well.

Maintaining an appropriate buffer zone is particularly crucial off the coast of Virginia because waters around the Chesapeake Bay are where conflicts with the menhaden fishery would be most acute. Additionally, the confluence of shipping lanes, military operations, and recreational traffic makes this a congested area in the ocean, of importance to numerous existing ocean users.

Ocean Harvesters and Omega Protein remain committed to working collaboratively with BOEM to find a solution that balances offshore renewable energy development with the preservation of vital commercial fisheries.

About Omega Protein
Omega Protein Corporation is a century old nutritional product company that develops, produces, and delivers healthy products derived from menhaden, a fish found abundantly off the U.S. Atlantic Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico. Omega Protein Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary and division of Cooke Inc., a family-owned company based in New Brunswick, Canada.

Through its subsidiaries, Omega Protein owns three menhaden manufacturing facilities in the United States. Omega Protein also has a long-term supply contract with Ocean Harvesters, which owns 30 fishing vessels which harvest menhaden. All fishing vessels owned and operated by Ocean Harvesters, an independent company, were formerly owned by Omega Protein. Any references to commercial fishing of menhaden relate to Ocean Harvesters, not Omega Protein or Cooke Inc.

New Bedford Port Authority Expresses “Grave Concerns” Over BOEM’s Proposed Central Atlantic Offshore Wind Development Area

October 23, 2024 — The following was released by the Port of New Bedford:

The New Bedford Port Authority (NBPA) has submitted a formal response to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) regarding the recently proposed Central Atlantic 2 Call Area (Docket No. BOEM-2024-0040), raising significant concerns about its potential impact on the commercial fishing industry. As the nation’s most profitable fishing port and home to the first large-scale offshore wind marshaling port, New Bedford is deeply invested in both renewable energy development and the preservation of vital fishing grounds.

“BOEM has painted with too broad a brush. As the port where the fishing and offshore wind industry intersect more than anywhere else, New Bedford is committed to the successful coexistence of both industries. We believe that the new Mid-Atlantic call areas must be cut back from existing scallop and other fishery access areas, which still would leave ample room for nearby states to achieve their offshore wind capacity goals,” said New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell.

While the NBPA supports offshore wind development, it emphasized the importance of balancing this growth with the protection of established industries. In particular, the letter calls attention to the critical scallop fishing areas-Elephant Trunk, Hudson Canyon, and Delmarva-that fall within the boundaries of the proposed Central Atlantic 2 Call Area. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) estimated the 16-year catch value for the most impacted commercial fisheries in the area of the proposed call is just under $2 billion, with just under $1.5 billion of that amount coming from sea scallops.

“Our grave concern about this CA2 call area is that it unnecessarily includes some of the most critically important scallop fishing areas on the East Coast,” wrote Gordon Carr, NBPA Executive Director. “What is stunning to us is that all that data is and was available to BOEM prior to setting the boundaries of the proposed call area.”

Mr. Carr noted that the call area “could have been set approximately 150 miles to the south, avoiding these critical scallop grounds, while still leaving more than 400 miles and millions of acres of call area down to the South Carolina state line.”

The Port of New Bedford has long been involved in offshore wind planning, providing comments on multiple projects in the region. The NBPA emphasized that “development must only be accomplished in a responsible manner by protecting established industries that share our waters. In particular, ‘responsible manner’ must include learning from mistakes made in failing to avoid and address the interaction and conflicts between offshore wind and commercial fishing in connection with previous BOEM actions.”

“It is long past time for BOEM to take seriously its responsibility towards the other users of the Outer Continental Shelf (“OCS”), some of which, like commercial fishing, have been using the same areas for hundreds of years. BOEM must begin to demonstrate a concerted effort to avoid and minimize the potential impact of a call area, collective lease areas, WEA, and each turbine,” Mr. Carr wrote. “This effort must take place before the potential impact is felt and must be based on more substantive scientific data and information than a hunch. People’s livelihoods are based on these actions.”

The New Bedford Port Authority calls on BOEM to take the concerns of the commercial fishing industry seriously and work toward a more responsible and consistent approach to offshore wind development, one that properly balances the needs of renewable energy with the long-standing commercial fishing industry. BOEM now has the opportunity to scale back the proposed Central Atlantic 2 Call Area to avoid and minimize the effects this area will have on most notably sea scallop, surfclam, and ocean quahog sustainability.

About the New Bedford Port Authority
The New Bedford Port Authority is a state-created agency charged with managing the Port of New Bedford. The Port is the physical center and primary economic engine of Southeastern Massachusetts. It is America’s top commercial fishing port, the staging site for America’s first industrial-scale offshore wind project, and home to hundreds of recreational and commercial vessels and businesses.

For media inquiries, please contact:
John Regan
Director of Policy & External Affairs
John.regan@newbedford-ma.gov
(508) 961-3000

BOEM Completes First Region Environmental Review for Offshore Wind

October 22, 2024 — The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) completed its first regional environmental assessment as part of its continuing effort to accelerate the development of offshore wind energy power generation. The Final Programmatic Environmental Impact States for the New York Bight will be released later this week as a key step to move forward with the six large lease areas from the record February 2022 auction.

“We believe our regional approach will provide a solid baseline for future environmental reviews for any proposed offshore wind projects in the New York Bight,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. It is the next key step in the Biden-Harris administration’s goal to have 30 GW offshore wind energy capacity by 2030. They note that the U.S. surpassed approval for 15 GW of offshore wind energy capacity earlier this year.

BOEM reports it received 1,568 unique comments from 560 submissions which informed this stage of the development project which was designed to set a structure for the environmental review of the six projects.  The six wind lease areas in the NY Bight cover over 488,000 acres offshore New York and New Jersey with BOEM estimating it has a capacity to generate up to 7 GW of offshore wind energy, enough to power up to two million homes.

Read the full article at The Maritime Executive

Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Clears Final Federal Hurdle

October 10, 2024 — While a local grassroots organization expressed disappointment over the federal government’s approval of the construction and operations plan for two wind farm projects planned off Long Beach Island, the developers and their supporters are elated at reaching the milestone.

“Atlantic Shores is thrilled to receive approval to build our first two projects and deliver sufficient clean power to serve one third of New Jersey households,” said Joris Veldhoven, chief executive officer of Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind. “Securing these critical approvals enables New Jersey’s first offshore wind project to start construction next year and represents meaningful progress in New Jersey achieving 100% clean energy by 2035.”

The company has until roughly the middle of November to pay the first year’s rent of $13,090 for Project 1’s easement and $112,040 for Project 2’s easement. Moving forward, the annual rent for the lease area and the project easement zone will be due on March 1, the lease anniversary, according to BOEM’s letter to company officials.

The leases, unless otherwise renewed, have a 25-year lifespan from the date of the approval of COP, according to the conditions of construction and operations plan approval issued by BOEM. The document also outlines the time frame for notification prior to construction activities on the outer continental shelf, including seabed preparation such as boulder relocation and pre-lay grapnel runs, and export cable installation among other items.

Read the full article at The Sand Paper

Save LBI files notice of intent to sue Atlantic Shores to halt offshore wind project

October 9, 2024 — Citizens group Save Long Beach Island has notified federal agencies of its intent to sue offshore wind developer Atlantic Shores under the Endangered Species Act and the Outer Continental Shelf Act.

The notices give the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 60 days to resolve issues raised in the filings before the group pursues litigation, according to a news release from Save LBI.

An Atlantic Shores spokesperson said the company cannot comment on active litigation.

Read the full article at the The Press of Atlantic City

Construction approval for NJ Atlantic Shores wind

October 2, 2024 — The first New Jersey offshore wind project moved forward Tuesday with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approving the Atlantic Shores construction and operations plan. With up to 197 turbines and offshore substations, the two-phase project within 8.7 miles of Long Beach Island and Brigantine, N.J., would have a maximum nameplate rating of 2,800 megawatts.

BOEM issued its record of decision on Atlantic Shores in July, setting the stage for approval of the construction and operations plan for the joint venture by Shell New Energies US LLC and EDF-RE Offshore Development, LLC.

“Securing these critical approvals enables New Jersey’s first offshore wind project to start construction next year and represents meaningful progress in New Jersey achieving 100% clean energy by 2035,” said Joris Veldhoven, CEO of Atlantic Shores.

“We are grateful to the Biden-Harris administration, our agency partners at the U.S. Department of the Interior and BOEM, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, and all our federal and state agency partners who helped deliver this moment for Atlantic Shores.”

Atlantic Shores is the target of ferocious opposition from Jersey Shore groups against offshore wind development. The coalition of beachfront property owners, municipal governments and commercial fishermen have focused their legal and public-relations fire on Atlantic Shores since wind developer Ørstedabruptly withdrew from its planned 1,100-megawatt Ocean Wind project in late 2023.

Read the full article at National Fisherman

BOEM Approves Construction and Operations Plan for Atlantic Shores South Offshore Wind Projects

October 1, 2024 — The following was released by BOEM:

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today announced its approval of the Atlantic Shores South project plan to construct and operate two wind energy facilities, furthering the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030. This is the final approval needed from BOEM following the Department of the Interior’s July 2024 Record of Decision.

“The Biden-Harris administration is dedicated to advancing responsible offshore wind energy projects like Atlantic Shores South Wind, which will create good-paying jobs and drive economic growth, while combatting the climate crisis and making our communities more resilient,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “I am proud to announce BOEM’s final approval of Atlantic Shores South Offshore Wind Projects 1 and 2, which have the potential to generate up to 2,800 megawatts of clean, renewable energy—enough to power nearly one million homes.”

Subsequent to the Record of Decision, the original lease was divided into two separate leases, both approximately 8.7 miles offshore New Jersey at their closest points. The approved construction and operations plan includes up to 197 total locations for wind turbine generators, offshore substations, and a meteorological tower, with subsea transmission cables potentially making landfall in Atlantic City and Sea Girt, providing clean electricity to the New Jersey grid.

BOEM incorporated important feedback from Tribes, government agencies, ocean users, and other interested parties prior to making this approval decision. The feedback resulted in required measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any potential impacts from the project on marine life and other important ocean uses, such as fishing.

Under the Biden-Harris administration, the Department of the Interior has approved more than 15 gigawatts of clean energy from ten offshore wind projects, enough to power nearly 5.25 million homes. It has also held five offshore wind lease auctions, including a record-breaking sale offshore New York and New Jersey and the first-ever sales offshore the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Earlier this year, Secretary Haaland announced a schedule of potential additional lease sales through 2028.

For more information about the Atlantic Shores South project, visit BOEM’s website.

OREGON: BOEM drops Oregon offshore wind energy auction for now for “insufficient bidder interest”

September 30, 2024 — The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management says today it’s delaying an offshore wind energy auction.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) had planned the auction of potential lease areas for two offshore wind farms along the Oregon coast.

BOEM says today the auction delay is, “due to insufficient bidder interest at this time.”

A coalition of Oregon Native American tribes filed a federal lawsuit this month challenging BOEM’s plan.

On August 29, 2024, the Department of the Interior announced the Final Sale Notice (FSN) for offshore wind leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf offshore Oregon following engagement through the Oregon Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force, including coordination with the State of Oregon on advancing opportunities for leasing that would precede a multi-year process for site assessments and subsequent review of any specific project plans if submitted. The FSN set an auction date for October 15, 2024, and included two lease areas offshore Oregon and identified the five companies qualified to participate in the sale. Following issuance of the FSN, BOEM received bidding interest from one of the five qualified companies.

Read the full article at KDVR

MARYLAND: More questions than answers in proposed commercial fishing deal with wind company

September 26, 2024 — Beyond that, the process, plan and the particulars of the commercial fishing “Compensatory Mitigation Fund” that US Wind has pledged to create remain adrift in a sea of unfinished business.

Speaking before roughly two dozen commercial operators at the Ocean Pines Library, Carrie Kennedy, of DNR’s Data Management & Analysis Division, and Catherine McCall, of its Coastal and Ocean Management office, invited watermen to suggest services and forms of assistance that could be included in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to be executed between the DNR and US Wind by January.

The MOU would spring from a July 8 letter of intent between the department and US Wind in which the company agrees “to provide financial compensation to eligible Maryland fishermen for mitigating direct losses/impacts to commercial and for-hire (charter) fishing from and caused by the construction, operation and decommissioning of the Project in federal waters.”

The project entails planting up to 114 wind turbines in an 80,000-acre offshore tract about 11.5 miles east of Ocean City, according to the company’s letter of intent and BOEM documents.

Read the full article at Ocean City Today

MARYLAND: Debate Over Offshore Wind Farms Continues at Ocean City BOEM Meeting

September 26, 2024 — Ocean City residents voiced strong opposition Tuesday night at a public meeting hosted by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) regarding potential offshore wind farm developments along the Maryland coast. The meeting discussed areas that could be leased for wind energy projects, which has been raising concerns among residents.

The town of Ocean City encouraged residents to attend the meeting in opposition after BOEM recently approved plans for wind turbines 10.7 miles off the coast. The latest discussion centered on additional potential wind energy areas, though no specific projects are confirmed.

BOEM is seeking public feedback as Maryland aims to generate 8.5 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2031, a key part of the state’s clean energy goals.

BOEM presented a map showing a large stretch of ocean from New Jersey to North Carolina that could be considered for wind energy projects, with some areas as close as three miles off Ocean City’s coast. However, BOEM emphasized that only about 10% of the area would likely be leased for wind development.

Read the full article at WBOC