Deepwater Wind Adopts Plan to Prevent Damage to Fishing Gear at Offshore Wind Farms

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Deepwater Wind Adopts Plan to Prevent Damage to Fishing Gear at Offshore Wind Farms

Deepwater Wind CEO Jeffrey Grybowski
Deepwater Wind has adopted a plan that is designed to prevent damage to commercial fishing gear from offshore wind energy activities.

The procedure was developed with the commercial fishing industry and is

Deepwater Wind is the first American offshore wind developer to adopt the plan.

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“We know that offshore wind and all other ocean users can coexist – we see that happening every day at the Block Island Wind Farm. We are committed to working with the commercial fishing industry and ironing out our differences. We want to be good neighbors out there. We’re taking this important step because it’s the right thing to do,” said Deepwater Wind CEO Jeffrey Grybowski.

The Procedure

According to Deepwater’s press release, the focus of the procedure is on providing frequent updates on offshore activities to fishermen, via Deepwater Wind fisheries liaisons and a team of fisheries representatives based in regional ports, as well as through online updates for mariners and twice-daily updates on VHF channels.

The company has also included a process for gear-loss/damage claims if they happen.

New Bedford Port Authority Executive Director Ed Anthes-Washburn, “The issue of gear loss has come up consistently from the commercial fishing industry in the context of offshore wind development. We appreciate Deepwater Wind for listening to those concerns and developing a transparent process for dealing with this important issue as offshore wind farms are developed. Mitigating conflict through open communications with the fishing industry is an important step as this new industry takes root off the coast of New England.”

Deepwater Wind is currently in active development on utility-scale wind farms to serve Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Maryland.


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