April 18, 2008
England

Fishermen's turbine fears

Fishermen fear the development of an off-shore wind farm will hit their industry.
Representatives of Danish company Dong Energy met with Bridlington’s fishermen at Rags Restaurant on Tuesday to discuss its plans for a wind turbine farm in a 35sq km area of sea four miles off Withernsea – a prime lobster fishing area.

The firm says it will provide enough renewable power for 195,000 homes but Bridlington fishermen’s leader Steve Cowan said, particularly during the development stage, it will be in an area used by about 30 Bridlington crab and lobster potters.

Gary Hodgson, vice-chairman of the Bridlington and Flamborough Fisherman’s Society, said it was their third meeting with the company which so far has given few details about how many turbines there will be or if they would have access to the area of sea after construction.

“We are not objecting to wind farm energy but believe it could be located in a less sensitive area. If they were developed in a straight line off the coast rather than in a confined area it would have less impact on our industry,” said Mr Hodgson.

Fishermen are also concerned about plans for one of the world’s largest wind farm developments, E.ON energy’s Humber Gateway, which would see up to 83 turbines further south off the mouth of the Humber, where some of the Bridlington fleet also fish.

By Alan Brook