The New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association launched a campaign to draw attention to what it calls a radical climate activist’s “industrializing” of the ocean through green energy agendas and the disastrous effects such objectives have on commercial fishermen’s livelihoods. [some emphasis, links added]
President of the fishermen advocate New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) Aaron Williams told The Center Square that his organization’s campaign is “intended to bring attention to the growing concerns many commercial fishermen, seafood producers, and coastal communities have regarding the rapid expansion of offshore wind development in productive fishing grounds.”
The campaign includes mobile billboards around Washington, D.C., during Ocean Week, displaying phrases such as “They call it green energy…we call it INDUSTRIALIZING THE OCEAN” and “Thank you President Trump for defending commercial fishermen against offshore wind!”
Ocean Week is an annual ocean and Great Lakes policy conference.
Williams told The Center Square that “by placing mobile billboards during Capitol Hill Ocean Week, we hope to ensure that policymakers, environmental organizations, and the public hear directly from the people whose livelihoods depend on access to healthy oceans.”
Williams noted that “for years, fishermen have warned that large-scale industrial development of the ocean will displace fishing activity, increase operational costs, impact marine ecosystems, and threaten America’s domestic seafood supply.”
“When productive fishing grounds are converted into industrial energy zones, the consequences can ripple far beyond coastal communities,” Williams said. “The average American may never step aboard a commercial fishing vessel, but they benefit every day from the food, jobs, and economic activity generated by our nation’s fishing industry.”
“Reduced access to fishing areas can affect domestic seafood production, increase dependence on imported seafood, raise costs throughout the supply chain, and place additional pressure on working waterfronts and small businesses that support the industry,” Williams said.
Williams stressed that “this issue is not a choice between supporting clean energy and protecting fisheries.”
“NEFSA supports responsible stewardship of our natural resources and recognizes the need for diverse energy solutions,” Williams said. “Our concern is that federal regulators have too often minimized or dismissed the legitimate concerns raised by fishermen and coastal communities.”
“We believe policymakers should pursue an approach that protects both environmental goals and the long-term viability of domestic seafood production,” Williams said.
“Once fishing grounds are industrialized, the impacts may be difficult or impossible to reverse,” Williams said.
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