Fishermen in Cornwall fear proposals for mass offshore wind farms could destroy their businesses and pose the “greatest change” the fishing industry has ever faced.
The Crown Estate – which owns much of the country’s seabed – has published plans for what it calls “areas of opportunity” for offshore wind farms in waters off the North East and the Celtic Sea around South Wales, Devon and Cornwall.
It insists a maximum of 15% of North East and 12% of Celtic Sea zones may be leased to offshore wind companies.
But David Stevens from the Cornwall Fish Producers Organisation told Sky News fishermen fear they will be squeezed out of already busy waters.
He said: “This is probably the greatest change to our fishing patterns and businesses we’re ever going to encounter, we’re going to be squeezed out of the way, that’s our greatest fear, by all these wind farms all of a sudden taking up ground that we traditionally fish.”
He added: “I’ve looked at the proposals to the south where I work and it would completely close down around about 60% to 70% of the area I work. So my business plan – it’s gone out of the window.”
Mr Stevens said this is not about the fishing industry being against green energy, adding: “I am all in favour of renewable energy – it’s definitely the way to go forward. But there needs to be a balance between energy security for the country and food security for the country.
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“We’re the fishermen, we’re out providing the food source, that is also, is it not, as important as energy, we’re humans we need heat, we need food, we need shelter.”
The Crown Estate told Sky News offshore wind has a “critical” role to play in supporting the UK’s energy transition.
It said: “The seabed is subject to a wide range of competing and complementary demands, which is why we have set out our initial thinking on how, and where, the future deployment of offshore wind might be possible, taking into account the needs of different sectors – including fishing – and the natural environment.”
It says it will continue to seek opinions from marine stakeholders.
Offshore wind is not the only green initiative causing concern amongst coastal communities in the South West.
Several seaweed farms are planned around Cornwall – covering 600 hectares of coastline.
The product could provide alternatives to plastic – but campaigners say consultation over the farms has been insufficient and worry ropes used could cause a risk to marine wildlife.
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He said: “There is a South West sea-grab in terms of the applications of large scale seaweed farms.
“For instance, the (seaweed) harvest period coincides with spawning for mackerel and various other fish and they’re likely to spawn around the seaweed and on the seaweed and at that point it’s harvest and so all that ecosystem will be pulled out.”
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Locals say they were not consulted about the farms and have criticised the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) which issues licences.
An MMO spokesperson told Sky News it must follow a “clear consultation process” and take an “evidence-based approach” and that it takes into account all responses.
The Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall, Ben Maguire, said the details of all green proposals must be looked at carefully.
He said: “We need to bring our communities together along this journey, make sure they have input into it, make sure their views are heard, and make sure their feedback is collected in a valid way and that policy makers in the government listen to those local resident’s concerns.”
