Lavon Ames’ FV Dillon James, Vinalhaven, Maine. The lobster fishing season is in high gear. Lobster are off their predicted movement patterns in some areas, which in some cases has been reflected in the boat price. Around the daily business of fishing swirl a number of issues regarding vertical buoy lines, a whale entanglement lawsuit and bottom leasing. Joel Woods photo.
Fishermen Grapple With Offshore Wind’s Complicated Issues
by Laurie Schreiber
The offshore wind energy industry is rapidly expanding.
There are currently 15 commercial wind energy leases in the Atlantic and an upcoming lease sale in New York. Seven site assessment plans have been approved in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. Four projects – Vineyard Wind, South Fork, Bay State Wind, and Skipjack – have reached the construction plan phase; seven more projects are expected within the next 12 months. There are planning activities in North Carolina, South Carolina, New Hampshire and Maine; and planned leasing activities on the West Coast and off Hawaii.
In Massachusetts, there is strong executive and legislative support for offshore wind, according to a presentation of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. State legislation passed in 2016 and 2018 calls for 1,600 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2027 and another 1,600 megawatts by 2035.
