Concern over Windfarms in Southern New England

By Capt. Mike Pierdinock RFA Massachusetts Chapter Chairman

There are thousands of acres of federal waters in southern New England that have been leased to various electricity generation companies that have, and will be, involved with the siting of wind turbines in offshore waters. Many of these wind farm areas include prime fishing grounds, ranging from Coxes Ledge to east of The Claw, and south to the Fingers and north of the Dump. These areas are subject to ongoing geotechnical investigations by commercial vessels, and the locations mentioned are only part of the initial phase of the siting process which will ultimately require additional scrutiny as well as environmentally related surveys as the companies’ attempt to obtain approval to site the proposed turbines. This will likely be a long drawn-out process, with several opportunities for public comment. We are not talking about a few turbine units close to shore in state waters such as those off Block Island, but hundreds of multistory units in a grid pattern encompassing prime fishing grounds. Nobody wants to see all of these superlarge wind turbines in their back yard, so the thought has been to place the turbines units well offshore where they are out of sight. However, there has been little consideration of the impact to recreational anglers, charter and party boat operations, and the commercial fishing fleet. Many of the easterly wind farm areas are on spawning grounds for herring and squid, Coxes Ledge provides a mix of groundfish and pelagics, and the other areas mentioned are angling hot spots for sharks, tuna, mahi and billfish. Plus, there is concern about impacts on other forage fish, turtles, whales and marine mammals.

We are being reassured by the energy companies that fishermen will not be denied access to these areas. However, logic dictates that the use of bottom gear and nets typically associated with commercial fishing may not be safe nor feasible in and around the wind farms, and insurance coverage may not be possible for commercial vessels that wish to fish these areas. Is it possible that the same type of restrictions could be imposed on recreational anglers and the party/charter boat fleet that expect to be able to fish within the turbine areas? Is this the next surprise that results in denying us access to the fishery? Then there’s the issue of some people concluding that the recreational and for-hire fleet is not fishing within these areas to begin with, based upon flawed Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) data and party/charter fleet fishing trip report data provided by a few for-hire captains. However, it is well understood that both recreational fishermen and for-hire captains from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York routinely fish these waters, so there is bound to be conflict.

How about the impact to spawning grounds, forage fish, game fish, turtles, whales and other marine mammals? Should we be concerned? The typical response is that the turbine units will create structure that results in habitat that will attract forage and game fish, as has been observed beneath the oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. But will the turbines off southern New England act in the same manner? Nobody knows. If sport fishermen are targeting large pelagics such as mako and thresher sharks, bluefin tuna, and mahi, how will they safely navigate around the bases of the turbine structures to avoid getting lines chafed or tangled when they hook onto a ballistic monster mako or fast-moving giant bluefin tuna? How far away should turbines be placed from each other? What is the appropriate distance between each unit so boats can safely navigate and land pelagics within the wind farms? A credible study assessing the adequate and safe distances necessary to accommodate various types of fishing is lacking but is absolutely necessary, reasonable and appropriate in order to properly site the units. The Block Island turbines are located near shore in state waters. The fish found within the boundaries of this project do not include the large pelagics found in the proposed offshore turbines sites, but the siting of the Block Island units did not include any evaluation or assessment of an appropriate grid pattern or distance between each turbine in order to safely navigate and fish for the species that are found in the area, which are significantly different from the pelagics. So, more study is needed. Then we have the issue of navigational safety.

Bluefin tuna are regular visitors to proposed windfarm lease areas offshore of Southern New England

Recreational anglers, charter boats, and the commercial fleet have historically operated in these areas, sometimes in nasty winds and seas. Have any studies been undertaken that might determine the appropriate safe distance between turbine platforms so that vessels can safely navigate through the wind farms? Additionally, the Dept. of Homeland Security may well implement “safety” or “security” zones after the wind farms are created that would prohibit boating and fishing within the turbine fields. Another question: will the subsurface transmission cables and the vibrations of the turbine blades themselves have an impact on local fish populations, whales, and turtles? Will the electrolysis of the cable negatively affect sharks? Sharks have electro-receptors around their snout that can sense electrical charges. The receptors are needed so the shark can locate forage fish and perhaps even navigate. Studies of great white sharks conducted in southern New England waters have shown that sharks have had encounters with, and have attacked, mini torpedo-like research submarines as a result of the electrolysis emitted by the equipment. We need to see credible scientific studies of the impact of electrolysis from the miles of subsurface cable that will be needed to conduct the electricity from the wind farms to shore facilities. Studies of electro-magnetic disturbance of spawning grounds, forage fish, game fish, pelagics, turtles and marine mammals that inhabit these areas are also needed.

On land there are requirements regarding the safe distance of permitted activities from a turbine in the event of a turbine collapse. Will these types of requirements be implemented out on the high seas? Will we be prevented from navigating or fishing in these areas in the event of ice/snow sheer as with land based wind turbines?

Then there is the noise and flicker effects. On land, some people living close to wind turbines suffer from negative or stressful effects as a result of noise and shadowing flicker of the rotating blades. Will this be a problem for those navigating on the water? It seems to be a problem with humans, but how about for the fish and mammals that live around or transit the wind farm areas?

There are many examples of wind turbines throughout the world that are sited in water, but none are located as far offshore as those being proposed in New England waters. The infrastructure needed, and associated cost, is such that economics dictate that offshore turbines must be multistory in height and in a tight grid pattern, by the hundreds, over a large area in order for the project to be economically feasible. Ongoing maintenance costs will be magnified by the proposed turbine distance from shore and the resulting environmental conditions. New England offshore waters are well known for strong winds and waves, not to mention the highly corrosive saltwater environment.

Are we so eager to promote “green energy” that we are turning a blind eye to the wind’s hidden costs and its impacts to the marine environment and the people that rely on it for their livelihoods? Or will the public potentially be held responsible for paying for the poor or hasty decisions that are made in the rush to attempt to reduce the “carbon footprint” by some arbitrary date in the future?

I have more questions than I do answers, and there certainly are a lot of questions about the turbines and wind farms being constructed and proposed. I am all for green energy that makes economic sense with manageable environmental impacts, but we will see if this is a case of a “clean green” agenda promoted by folks who the wind farms do not personally affect and who may have little appreciation of the potential harm to the ocean environment or the importance of these wind farm areas to commercial and recreational fisheries. I think if we’re going to move ahead with large-scale offshore electricity generation, we need to do it slowly and carefully, backed by good research, environmental science, and a clear understanding of the impacts on those whom the ocean is so important.