In the News

After 50 years of fishing out of Long Island Sound, commercial fisherman Gary Yerman has embraced working with offshore wind companies to finish out his career.

Working for the wind industry is controversial among fishermen, with some using it to supplement their fishing income, some avoiding it and others switching fully to working with wind.

Sea Services North America’s mission as a cooperative between commercial fishermen and offshore wind developers believes in the power of collaboration.

As Dominion nears construction for its 2.5 gigawatt coastal Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, or CVOW, Sea Services has partnered with Virginia’s own B&C and its subsidiary, Ocean Watt Safety to provide services to the CVOW developers. The companies have spent months completing all preparations of the fleet and crew for offshore wind construction work, certifying Virgina fishermen, enhancing safety measures and training them for offshore wind project work.

Among Mike Plis’ many goals for his training program at Sea Services North America is to provide a safety transition for commercial fishermen into what Plis calls “making one of the world’s most dangerous jobs a little less dangerous – one boat and one crew member at a time.”

Plis, who is SSNA’s Training Manager, has adopted a comprehensive training program to sustain SSNA’s growing cooperative, which links the offshore wind industry to commercial fishing.

Gordon Videll, Chief Executive Officer of Sea Services North America, has accepted an invitation to join the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Wind Collaborative.

The Wind Collaborative was first announced last October as part of Connecticut’s Offshore Wind Strategic Roadmap, which calls for the new nonprofit to work collaboratively with stakeholders in business, industry, academia, state agencies, and counterparts in neighboring states to advance the regional supply chain and workforce necessary to meet the growing demand for this new American industry.

The significance of the South Fork Wind project dates back to 1882 when Thomas Edison illuminated Manhattan for the first time, giving New York an “energy first” distinction across America, igniting the modern electric utility industry.

South Fork Wind has become another first for New York, the country’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farm, a story going beyond turbines, megawatts, and homes powered – also uniting union workers, engineers and conservationists – and with the help of Sea Services North America, the commercial fishing industry, too.

Sea Services North America has a unique mission: to bring increased safety to active fishing vessels and crews, while also providing fishermen opportunities to use their on-water skills to earn additional income in offshore wind construction.

After more than three years of successful operation, Sea Services has developed three new service areas, adding value to both its expanding roster of independent fishermen and its offshore wind customers.

Sea Services North America, the nation’s leading provider of independent fishing vessels to work on the development and construction of offshore wind farms, has announced its new vessel partnership with B & C Seafood.

The partnership allows B&C to take advantage of SSNA’s best-in-class performance record, platform, training and administration, while also allowing SSNA to continue to expand its offerings into the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Sea Services Co-op model is designed to scale geographically.

Amid the monotony of more than 12 hours of legislative testimony, two fishermen employed by Sea Services North America made history during the Energy & Technology Committee hearing at the Connecticut Legislative Office Building earlier this year.

Jack Tibbens and Scott Yerman testified to the committee from the high seas via Zoom – sun shining, wind whipping – from the “New Horizons.”

Their impact in speaking on behalf of Bill 383, proposed by State Sen. Heather Somers (R-Groton) to establish a $16 million mitigation fund responding to the effects of offshore wind on marine mammals, birds, and fishermen, was immeasurable.

His professional life began with Pepto Bismol and has ping-ponged its way between pneumatic sound, lobster traps and eminent domain.

Clearly, fellow fishermen are aware that when Gary Yerman, the Fleet Manager for Sea Services North America, offers counsel on the industry that has sustained him, the words come from a man with the wisdom carried by eclectic experiences.

After quietly creating a unique partnership between the commercial fishing community and offshore wind energy developers, Sea Services North America (SSNA) is ready to celebrate its success.

With more than 80 fishermen from five states working through a cooperative business arrangement, SSNA is the nation’s leading provider of active fishing vessels for scout and guard (safety) work to offshore wind developers and suppliers.

It has been suggested that synergy between the fishing industry and offshore wind is presumptive at best and inconceivable at worst.

But then there are the words of Rodney Avila, a legendary fisherman of more than 60 years, who views Sea Services North America’s cooperative structure as the perfect vehicle to marry the two.

The concept of “safety first” requires layers of details that perhaps render it easier said than applied. Ed LeBlanc, Ørsted’s Head of Marine Affairs U.S. Offshore Wind, has stood for safety on the water with passion and diligence for nearly 50 years.

LeBlanc came to Ørsted in 2019 following a four-decade career in the United States Coast Guard, most recently serving as the Chief of Waterways Management at Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England since 2003.

Gordon Videll, Chief Executive Officer of Sea Services North America, has accepted an invitation to join the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Wind Collaborative.

The Wind Collaborative was first announced last October as part of Connecticut’s Offshore Wind Strategic Roadmap, which calls for the new nonprofit to work collaboratively with stakeholders in business, industry, academia, state agencies, and counterparts in neighboring states to advance the regional supply chain and workforce necessary to meet the growing demand for this new American industry.

In May, ships started arriving in New Bedford, Massachusetts carrying offshore wind turbines taller than a football field is long. These turbines are now being installed 15 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard at the United States’ first utility-scale offshore wind farm. 62 turbines, capable of powering over 400,000 homes, will provide pollution-free electricity to New England. Here, offshore wind is the key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions fast enough to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

But New England isn’t alone.

New research from UC-Berkeley, GridLab, and Energy Innovation shows offshore wind could provide clean, affordable power off every coast in this country as a fundamental part of decarbonizing our economy.