Fishing Industry
1. Has it affected fishing in other areas:
While this question for Ireland cannot be answered as the only operational marine windfarm in ROI is situated on a very shallow bank in the Irish Sea – Information is available on other international projects such as Scotland, Holland & Belgium which the FLO will happily source and supply.
2. Will the power cables going ashore interfere with shellfish and juvenile fish in the area:
This question is aimed at the possible EM emissions from the cable coming ashore and the possible effects on species such as Lobster, Crab, Ray, juvenile fish, Herring, Sprat. Here is a submission done on EMF effects https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/environmental-stewardship/Environmental-Studies/Pacific-Region/Studies/2011-09-EMF-Effects.pdf
3. What effect will SBP equipment have on Lobsters and Prawn fisheries:
It was explained that this question has come up in a previous meeting and it is something that is currently been investigated. The information will be happily shared once it is received.
4. What compensation will they get at the end of the day?:
This is apparent in all the conversations we have with the Fishermen but this is the first group to actually come out and just ask the question. This question I was not in a position to answer but did give an undertaking to ask the question and come back to them in the future. But as I mentioned previously, I think the question is a question for the offshore renewables industry as a whole and not for any one operator to answer.
5. Time span for cables going ashore:
Will not happen until after second round of licensing would be granted
6. Number of Turbines:
At this point this is still being researched and a number of factors will feed into this such as technology available at the time and so on. But this will be clarified as we progress.
7. Exclusion Zone around windfarm:
Energy companies don’t want or require any exclusion around the windfarm. MSO is currently being engaged and clarification will be forthcoming on their stance.
8. Fishing inside the field when finished what insurances can be given:
The MSO will not be insisting upon an exclusion zone nor do they have the legal authority to insist upon one. This will remain the case going forward and the ORE industry will work with the fishing industry should any indication be given that this position may change.
9. Constitutional rights of Fishermen to access the ground and if we cant access the ground for any reason then this constitutes a quantifiable loss and we must therefore be compensated:
This warranted open discussion, I asked the member if he had information on where in the constitution this information could be found as I had read the constitution several times since a previous meeting and was unable to find any section within the document which points to this fact, Mr. Featherstone replied by stating that it is the advice of his legal council that this is their interpretation of the constitution and it is not written to reflect the exact wording being used. So I agreed to bring this to the attention of the developer and left the topic alone so as to not start a debate that neither of us was qualified enough to make that determination on.
10. Fishing is their livelihood and what happens if it collapses as a result of the construction of a windfarm:
This was a lively section of the meeting, but again I reminded the room that we are currently dealing with at this point the application for site investigations for one area and talking about a pending application for another area. Coupled with the fact that this is the first in hopefully a series positive open and transparent engagement as the SI application progresses and would have to come back to them several times well ahead of planning being lodged for construction works all the time increasing the level of data available to them including information on how the fishing industry was impacted by similar projects in Wales and England.
11. What effect will SBP equipment have on Whelk fishery’s:
SBP (Sub bottom profiler) and its effects on the whelk fishery is being investigated for fishermen because of these exact questions. When the information is available to us, it will be shared.
12. Why not build on land:
This was a question that came up several times and I explained there are many reasons why companies are looking to the sea for these projects, Space available on land, access to areas near the national grid and so but also reminded them that for an operator to move to the marine sphere in massive increase in terms what needs to invested to deliver a marine program versus a land program, so Developer is not taking this lightly and quite a lot time and resources are going towards getting this right for themselves and effected stakeholders.
13. What research has been done in Ireland into the effects of windfarms on the environment:
I explained that that comprehensive EI is carried in relation to each application and this data will be available online and offered to point anybody that was interested in the right direction to be able view these documents. Nobody took us up on this offer.
14. Will Developer Pay the Fishermen to move. (Quantifiable Loss, If you have fished there, Proof that you have being working in the vicinity over years)
This question is asked daily. This is a question again, for the wider Offshore renewable industry to consider and revert to the fishing industry.
15. Environmental impact:
Again pointed the fishing industry members to where this document could be found in relation to NCS and explained that once the application for SIS is publish they would be able to access that document also.
16. Can They fish in the wind farm when complete and what types of fishing can be carried out:
Energy companies don’t want or require any exclusion around the windfarm. MSO currently being engaged in order to understand what the position of the government will be in relation to this.
17. Plenty of turbines off Wales, Holland there must be data on fishing:
Explained to the group that while there is plenty of information available online in relation to various projects around the UK and Europe but very little available for offshore Ireland and offered to send as much of this available information on for example the UK and informed the group we are currently working on this and are happy to share results.
18. Where is the power going on to the Irish grid or exported to Europe:
Irish grid was my answer but told them I would again ask the question.
19. Fishermen are still not being informed properly, why is it so difficult to find relevant information on various projects.
This is exactly why we developed this site. Fishermen are busy and need information to be easily accessible to them, having Tru Data available with all links to individual projects with information on Developers and their sites, information on the FLO’s, information of staging of projects, links to department website and the projects. One stop site for the convenience of the fishing industry. Open, Honest and transparent information sharing hub.
20. Who gives the planning:
The Oireachtas has given An Bord Pleanála functions under various pieces of legislation.
The board will examine each application that progresses to the stage where planning is sought. Not all projects in the current application stage will get that far.
21. Windfarm to close to the land why can’t it be moved offshore; this is a tourist area and we as an area depend on tourism:
Why are they building a wind farm so close to the shore, it is hugely dependent on marine tourism why can’t it go further out to sea? A. Fixed bottom turbines can only be built to a certain depth. The further out to sea they go reduces the ability to build fixed turbines. If it gets too deep the technology has to change to floating wind turbines.
22. Fishing boat insurance may not insure you to fish in a windfarm:
I said I would look into how the underwriters deal with this in other jurisdictions and I would confident the same would apply here as most marine underwriters work with common practices.
23. Will we know where they will be working when they start:
I added that this is classed as very early engagement as at this point, we are discussing the surveys leading to the planning application and not the building of the windfarm.
24. Will there be information available ahead of you beginning work in the area:
Yes, as discussed this is the first in what we hope will be a long engagement keeping the industry informed as the project moves from one phase to another with plenty of advance notice given at each stage.
Here are some links on fishing in in windfarms and more:
I Fishing in a windfarm:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxdLQ7lN4P4
II Block Island Wind Farm Fishing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYbEUgZ0YMw
III Spydro Underwater Fishing Camera. Fishing in the Wind Farm West Sussex England:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id-O-BFAR64&t=368s
IV Equinor Hywind Scotland Fishing Trials:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCjekLkipTg
V Fishing Organisations and ESB Meet to Discuss Windfarms:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5yLF32uwio&t=21s