Southern NJ Offshore Wind Farm Webinar 1/13/21

[Gerry Zagorski]

The proposed area of these offshore wind farms is between Barnegat and Atlantic City and this meeting is for sharing information about the project to the recreational fishing community. If you’d like to attend, you’ll see below you need RSVP and send an email to get the zoom meeting link.


Please join the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind team for a virtual Recreational Fishing Informational Session. We look forward to introducing the community to our Recreational Fisheries Representative, and to sharing general information regarding development of the OCS-A 0499 Lease Area. If you are part of the New Jersey recreational fishing community please feel free to join our conversation.

January 13, 2021 | 6:30 – 8:00 PM ET

RSVP to info@atlanticshoreswind.com

ZOOM link will be sent via email after your RSVP is received.
Fisheries Communication Plan

Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind is actively working with the fishing community – both commercial and recreational – to understand their concerns and create a development plan with as little impact to fishing as possible. Our team aims to find a balance in the shared use of our ocean by seeking to understand and mitigate any potential affects our activities may have on the environment, wildlife and industries that fuel our local economies. Our fisheries communication plan outlines ways fishermen can communicate concerns to our development team and methods Atlantic Shores will utilize to keep the fishermen informed and educated about our projects.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Another meeting scheduled for Thursday 1/28

You can register here http://www.atlanticshoreswind.com/mariners

[hammer4reel]

Commercial guys spent a lot of money and time to show these wind farms that will eventually be throughout our coast are going to destroy the most fertile fishing grounds we have .

Chosen locations will put them out of business .
‘
They were pretty much told this is a multi billion dollar deal , and nothing is going to stop it .

[dales529]

Commercial guys spent a lot of money and time to show these wind farms that will eventually be throughout our coast are going to destroy the most fertile fishing grounds we have .

Chosen locations will put them out of business .
‘
They were pretty much told this is a multi billion dollar deal , and nothing is going to stop it .

Dan
Agreed this is a done deal. Leases and contracts were signed years ago. Wind Farms are coming to NJ.

Having said that a lot of work is going on with Atlantic Shores Wind Farms between Commercial and Recreational advisors to TRY and protect the location of these arrays outside of known fishing areas including reefs, clam beds, mussel beds. The locations hopefully will be chosen based on these recommendations. There are obviously navigation and access issues still being discussed as well but access will be on the federal level.
Just saying that we have people, groups etc both commercial and recreational in the mix on these negotiations and its ongoing. We have and are having meetings on this.

Recreational fishermen should continue to support these efforts to the groups involved . More to come on how in the near future.

[bulletbob]

Commercial guys spent a lot of money and time to show these wind farms that will eventually be throughout our coast are going to destroy the most fertile fishing grounds we have .

Chosen locations will put them out of business .
‘
They were pretty much told this is a multi billion dollar deal , and nothing is going to stop it .

Hate to argue with an experienced captain, but why do you think this is the case??.. Yes perhaps they won't have the open expanses of bottom to drag, but those massive structures will be alive with bait and groundfish in a few short years... Not only that, but pelagics will be close at hand as well.
It happens wherever huge structures are placed in large expanses of open ocean, around the world.
I have read about the wind farms at Block Island and in Europe and they all became life magnets within a year, and within two were loaded with fish life, including pelagics... I understand your position, and realize you probably know and are friendly with commercial guys, but sorry, you will never convince me that those huge structures out there will mean fewer fish.. Its never happened anywhere else... Think about the massive sport fishing industry around the Gulf oil rigs... Many decades ago, that was just lifeless deep water.. Now its one of the world's greatest salt water fisheries... bob

[tautog]

The structure will attract fish but it has been indicated that fishermen won't be allowed anywhere near them off NJ. If this is accurate, I would be a definite no on the wind farms.

[hammer4reel]

Hate to argue with an experienced captain, but why do you think this is the case??.. Yes perhaps they won't have the open expanses of bottom to drag, but those massive structures will be alive with bait and groundfish in a few short years... Not only that, but pelagics will be close at hand as well.
It happens wherever huge structures are placed in large expanses of open ocean, around the world.
I have read about the wind farms at Block Island and in Europe and they all became life magnets within a year, and within two were loaded with fish life, including pelagics... I understand your position, and realize you probably know and are friendly with commercial guys, but sorry, you will never convince me that those huge structures out there will mean fewer fish.. Its never happened anywhere else... Think about the massive sport fishing industry around the Gulf oil rigs... Many decades ago, that was just lifeless deep water.. Now its one of the world's greatest salt water fisheries... bob

It’s been proven in other area fish don’t like EMF created by the generation lines .
These can’t ge looked at in the same way as an oil tower .
Bottom structure that has held bait and predatory fish for a hundred years is going to be removed to get a better base to set the windmills .
.
It’s also my understanding these areas will be a secure zone for 5 years minimum while being built .
And apparently the windmills don’t have a great life span , and in other areas around the world have turned into ocean junk piles .
They also aren’t putting these in deep water as the oil rigs .
.

Look back at articles from a few years ago where these were built and the soundings really effected the fishery .

New articles the last two years seem to just make them sound like they are fish magnets .
Monty Hawkins had lots of video in reef sites he has personally built in Maryland covered with sea bass .
When they did soundings there the fish left in huge numbers . They don’t like the noise created .
.

.

[hammer4reel]

This is the area I’m not liking . IMO. It will effect the great fluke fishery we currently have .
Flounder are avoiding the transmission lines more than other fish .

[Gumada]

Let’s not forget who gets to pay for these wind farms ! Between government subsidies and higher utility bills WE DO ! To top it all off they are never economically viable and even if by some miracle they become profitable, we will never see a penny in lower utility bills......

[frugalfisherman]

Future offshore reef

[bulletbob]

The structure will attract fish but it has been indicated that fishermen won't be allowed anywhere near them off NJ. If this is accurate, I would be a definite no on the wind farms.

If thats correct, then yes I have a major problem with that, and agree with all the naysayers,,, The ones in Rhode Island are fished regularly, by charters as well as private boats,AND commercial lobstermen I might add...I mean right on YT, there are videos of boats drifting right against the foundations catching fish and no one bothering them.. Why would NJ be any different?...bob

[Jigman13]

The ones off block are covered in fish and very much fishable. You dont need to be right on the foundations either. A mile away shoals of sea bass and porgies gather. Cod and ling and tog too.

[Foul Hook]

The structure will attract fish but it has been indicated that fishermen won't be allowed anywhere near them off NJ. If this is accurate, I would be a definite no on the wind farms.

I wonder how they would stop it?

[Gerry Zagorski]

Like Dales said, like it or not it's a done deal... Only thing we can do is persuade them not to put them in places that would disturb fishing grounds and make sure we can fish them without restrictions once they're built.

If you have opinions on either then attend one of the webinars and voice them. Voicing them here has limited effect.

[tautog]

I wonder how they would stop it?

I have heard they said it is a terrorism risk even though you can tie right up to highly flammable oil rigs in Louisiana. I would imagine the Coasties, Marine Police or private security.

[Foul Hook]

I have heard they said it is a terrorism risk even though you can tie right up to highly flammable oil rigs in Louisiana. I would imagine the Coasties, Marine Police or private security.
I could understand private security but the coast guard or police I think would be an argument for tax payers footing the bill on privately held property per say. Either way I hope we will be able to fish around it/ them.

[Gerry Zagorski]

If you have a strong opinion and want to take the time to voice it and get involved, now is the time.

Call for Advisors for Offshore Wind Committee
The NJ Marine Fisheries Council (MFC) is currently seeking advisors for its new Offshore Wind Committee. Anyone interested in serving as an advisor should submit an application.

For more information on the MFC and its committees and advisors, including how to get involved, visit here https://www.njfishandwildlife.com/marcncl.htm?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery or call 609-748-2020.

[tautog]

I could understand private security but the coast guard or police I think would be an argument for tax payers footing the bill on privately held property per say. Either way I hope we will be able to fish around it/ them.

Police certainly have no issues enforcing trespassing for freshwater fishing or hunting.

[dakota560]

The following excerpt is from an article written a year and a half ago regarding an 84-wind turbine farm planned in 2019 south of Martha's Vineyard.

In February, after a months-long dispute with Rhode Island fishermen who complained that the layout of its wind farm — namely the tight spacing of the turbines — would effectively block access to fishing grounds rich in squid, lobster and Jonah crab, Vineyard Wind agreed to a compensation package worth $16.7 million.

My opinion is fishing access on the farms already in place or in the process of being constructed have not been restricted YET because if the precedent of closure to commercial and or recreational fishing already existed, lawsuits for prospective sites to be developed as we're facing in New Jersey would be staggering and the cost to investors associated with these projects would be exponentially greater than the billions already being spent possibly to the point of making them financially not attractive or possible to investors.

We're still in the early stages of development of this alternate energy source. Further into their foothold along the eastern seaboard, who honestly believes fishing and access rights will in any way shape or form take precedence or even factor into decisions involving national security and energy supply. If anyone believes recreational or commercial fishing interests will outweigh Department of Homeland Security, Department of Energy, possibly even Department of Defense and Investors interests and concerns, I think you'll unfortunately be very disappointed with where this all ends up.

Wind farms are only effective where there are sufficient sustainable winds to operate them. Where ever that is, that's where they'll end up and if you think where a clam, lobster, mussel, or species of fish resides is truly on anyone's radar screen regarding site locations, you're not looking at this from the perspective of government, regulators and most importantly the conglomerates making the investment.

I'm not sure public commentary from the recreational fishing sector over the last two decades has ever factored in to a single regulatory change in fisheries management in this state. What would make anyone believe our chances of being heard and or opinions considered would result in a different fate with an initiative of this magnitude and what's at stake switching from our current dependency on fossil fuels to green energy sources.

As others have mentioned, the decisions have been made, locations have been chosen and fishing access will not be the determinant factor or any factor of where these farms will be constructed. Once constructed, it won't take an event like 911 to restrict access, just the appearance of the risk of a similar event or threat. I'd bet DoE, DoHS, DOD, the Investors themselves along with the politicians involved already have that plan worked out. It's called risk management and you can rest assured those conversations have already been discussed and decided on well in advance of billions if not hundreds of billions of dollars being committed to these projects.

Sorry to be the wet blanket here but it's what happens when you go up against business conglomerates and government. Just the way the world works.