The Christian Science Monitor

Can offshore wind and commercial fishing coexist?

Rodman Sykes, captain of the fishing vessel the Virginia Marise, oversees a research trawl survey on his boat near the Block Island Wind Farm on Aug. 16.

The Virginia Marise slides away from the dock into the pitch-black night. At 4 a.m., the only light comes from a flood light illuminating the deck of the boat and a handful of streetlights on land that disappear into the darkness as Captain Rodman Sykes maneuvers his boat out of the harbor, the black sky indistinguishable from the black sea.

This is a familiar scene to fishermen like Mr. Sykes. Commercial fishermen have headed out on these New England waters for some 400 years, casting their lines and nets overboard just as the sun peeks over the horizon. But at daybreak on this August morning, there’s a new sight. As the inky-black night gradually fades into the dim gray pre-dawn light, five red flashing lights appear all in a row on the horizon.

Those lights come from the five turbines making up the United States’ first offshore wind farm – the 30 megawatt Block Island Wind Farm. As the Virginia Marise draws closer, and the sky begins to blush pink, the turbines stand out on the horizon. The blades

Winds of changeSetting precedentsGetting answers

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Christian Science Monitor

The Christian Science Monitor12 min read
These Migrants Bound For The US Border Found Their Dream Opportunity In Mexico
When Dales Louissaint left Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in 2016 amid growing lawlessness and economic crisis, his sights were set on the United States. For him, the American dream meant learning a new language, going to college, and becoming a lawyer.  Tod
The Christian Science Monitor5 min read
Baltimore Bridge Collapse Raises Port Safety Issues
The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore left six construction workers dead after a massive cargo ship collided with it on Tuesday, trapping about a dozen ships in the harbor, and diverting traffic and cargo.  While some people voice
The Christian Science Monitor2 min readInternational Relations
Resilience Against Russian Lies
When the British think tank Chatham House decided last year to measure the resilience of countries to foreign interference, it chose the tiny nation of Moldova as a pilot study. The timing was perfect. In early March, Moldova’s national intelligence

Related Books & Audiobooks