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Mar 21, 2020

Rockland's new draft harbor mgmt plan Adhoc group ends with a whimper, not a bang.

Listen to  the complete audio  of the March 5th  presentation
http://penbay.org/rockland/adhoc/030520/rockland_adhoc_030520_full_2hrs1min.mp3

The draft Rockland Harbor Management Plan


OBSERVATIONS ON THE PRESENTATION
Marine Economy section of the Plan.  
Noel Musson didn't read the Key Findings Nor  the objectives 
He read the Goal,and went directly to the Action Items. 

But the Key Findings  are where the supposed facts found are supposed to be! 


WORKING WATERFRONT
Despite being told to the contrary told a year ago,   the Plan Draft redefines Working Waterfront to include any water-dependent use.  But working waterfront is  FISHERIES TAX LAW  not HARBOR TAX LAW  
11. Working waterfront land. "Working waterfront land" means a parcel of land, or a portion thereof, abutting water to the head of tide or land located in the intertidal zone that is used primarily or used predominantly to provide access to or support the conduct of commercial fishing activities.|  For purposes of this subchapter, a parcel is deemed to include a unit of real estate notwithstanding the fact that it is divided by a road, way, railroad or pipeline

When consultant Noel Musson  and Rockland Commun ity Development Director  Julie Hashem got corrected  for trying to insert  their redefinition a year ago, they apologized and accepted the fisheries  element of the definition

But Musson inserted their redefinition into the Plan within the Marine Economy Key Findings.  Was it because  he didn't want to draw attention to this disobeying the  committee that  Musson decided to not to read it a the meeting?

Musson also didn't read aloud any of the Objectives.  Objective #5 promotes the Yachting Solutions expansion for megayachts:  "Private marinas and commercial dock space thrive and help meet the needs of the harbor."    That's a rather strange sentence when you unpack it. Why single out marinas of the diverse waterfront businesses on the harbor?  Why single out "private" marinas and dockage?  How about our public marina?  Should not we plan to improve and expand the Public Landing and public dockage to meet the needs of local and visiting boaters?  The "harbor" doesn't have "needs", boaters have needs.  

The City has needs for increased revenue from harbor users.  That needed revenue won't be coming from MORE private infrastructure on the water. They won't be paying taxes on their increased and thriving marinas and dockage in the water.  They won't be sharing with the City their profits. 

 They will be doing their best, like Yachting Solutions, to persuade the City through Private Public Partnerships, to move public facilities out of their way so they can expand.  

Musson explained the Plan is focused on City-owned property and services.  But when you get to he Marine Economy, the focus shifts to private enterprises and helping them suck up our marine resources and increase their profits, rather that focusing on strategies to enhance the Public Interest and increase City revenue.  

IN ESSENCE the Plan promotes the privatization of our natural resources while placing the financial burden of maintaining diminishing public infrastructure and increasing public services on the backs of tax payers.  

When private developers go after local, state and federal permits for their projects in our harbor water, should this Harbor Management Plan, as currently worded, receive approval by the City Council, they've essentially got City approval and backing for their enterprises that they can quote word for word.  

The SADDEST things about the Public Presentation 

1.  NO PUBLIC SPEAKING TIME Supposedly the public having read the document would have had something to say  but no time allotted for that!

 2. Musson's sleight of hand within the Plan Draft and his choices of what to read aloud and what not to read.

3. The moment was when someone asked if the Committee had discussed the Yachting Solutions marina expansion. Musson said no, and added that he wasn't really familar with the project.  Uh huh.  

4.  Worst: bereft of public speaking time  no one objected or even questioned anything about the obvious bias in favor of private interests over the public interest within the Marine Economy section.  

Musson just breezed through it in a few minutes.  Not a peep out of harbor defender SHIP.  Christos didn't even attend!  Where was SHIP? Hiding in the bushes trying to distance himself from his line by line approval of the plan last month?    

Mar 7, 2020

Rockland adhoc harbor mgmt plan meeting 3/5/20

Huge Ocean Windpower takeaway at Maine Fishermen's Forum:

Huge Ocean Windpower takeaway at Maine Fishermen's Forum:

UK fishers to Yank lobstermen,scallopers trawlers, hookers:
Love the places you fish so much you prefer keeping site specific catch information off the public record? Keeping the tracks/routes of the runs that make you a success confidential?

MAKE.THEM. PUBLIC.NOW.

Lifetime fisherman Colin Warwick, now UK "Fishing Liaison for Offshore Wind and Wet Renewables" urged and Massachusetts fishfolk seconded It is IMPERATIVE you record the track of EVERY trip you take, From dock to grounds to dock, and make these "tracks" available.

. If you don't: NO LEGAL EVIDENCE of how often you fish there - to the joy of ocean wind applicants. You can write letters and go to public hearings and meetings and tell them how often But where's your proof? Word of mouth? testimony of self and coworkers? Hah

As far as the federal and state & provincial governments of the Gulf of Maine and the greater eastern seaboard are concerned, if you don't have your tracks, you got nothing. You're just another stakeholder. Able to prove you fish, but unable to prove where and how often.

The offshore wind industry relies on Maine fishermen/s penchant for confidentiality to make it easy for growth off their shore. Dredge dumpers Outfall pipe wannabees? Same for them. No tracks no solid evidence you fish there. Or transit through . Some Massachuysetts fishers have to come in through 16 miles of windfarms to get to shor. The one-nautical-mile channel spacing between turbines is a very narrow corridor in a serious blow.

We heard harrowing stories of Massachusetts fishermen dying a in storm because the windfarms turbine spacing made it unsafe for the rescue chopper to get close enough to even find them let alone rescue them.

AGAIN: START RECORDING YOUR TRACKS DOCUMENTING YOUR USE OF YOUR GROUNDS.

If you don't, you may have "stakeholder" status, but you may as well hold that stake over your heart and and let wind industry pound it in, for all the good it does you.


Ocean windpower at 2020 Maine fishermen's Forum, AUDIO

The 2020 Maine Fishermen's Forum hosted a daylong meeting Fisheries and Offshore Wind in the Gulf of Maine   Here are the intro aned the first three speakers,  More to come...

Intro - request  for  no recording  except

Speaker 1 Melissa Winne Governor's Energy Office 10min37sec

Speaker 2 John Hare New England Fishery Science Ctr 22min23sec

Speaker 3 Michelle Bachmann  New \England Fishery Management Council 


Mar 3, 2020

Nordic update - public speaks on company's dredge plan

Maine DMR got hammered by furious environmentalists and fishermen at the March 2, 2020 public hearing the agency hosted.  LISTEN TO AUDIO BELOW
DMR introduc ed a brand new dredging plan right then and there.   DMR's deputy c ommmissioner tried to say there'd be no  public comment  on the  plan once the meeting closed Didn't that change?
 Have a listen to the agency and Nordic consultants, then to the fishermen and others of the public
Full recording 2hours 20min 
DMR and Nordic consultants presentations 47min
Public comment part 1 27min
* Public comment part 2 28min
* Public Comment part 3 Assistant AG  5min30sec
* Public comment part4to End 27min 20sec

DMR later wrote
"Based on feedback received during the hearing, DMR has decided to extend the public comment period until 5:00 pm Thursday, March 12, 2020.

Written comment can be provided by mail to: Amanda Ellis, Department of Marine Resources, 21 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333; or by email to: dmr.rulemaking@maine.gov .