Fears raised over impact of offshore wind turbines on fishermen’s livelihoods and survival of Chinese white dolphin

On the morning of July 27, around 80 fishing boats gathered off the coast of Changhua in Fangyuan Township to stage a protest over Fuhai Wind Farm Corp’s (福海風電公司) offshore wind turbine engineering project, which is feared will adversely impact the livelihoods of fishermen and offshore security. Fishermen encircled Formosa Wind Power Co Ltd’s (海洋風力發電) observation platform during the protest, some of them even climbing on top of it to hang a protest banner, providing a thrilling scene to watch. 

In order to speed up offshore wind power development and build a green-energy economy, in July 2012, the Ministry of Finance implemented “Ordinance on Investment Subsidy for Offshore Wind Power”. In December of the same year, Formosa Wind Power Co Ltd., Fuhai Wind Farm Corp and Taipower (台電公司) were awarded with the demonstration-engineering contract, in which they are each to separately erect wind turbines in the areas of offshore Zhunan, Miaoli and the coast of Changhua. 

Fearing an adverse impact on the fishing environment from offshore wind turbines, Changhua Fishery Association Chen Tzung-yi (陳宗義) is demanding that Fuhai Wind Farm Corp puts aside money to compensate fishermen and assist them through this transition. But in addition to fishermen’s fears that the wind turbines will impact catches, it is probably not good news for the endangered Chinese white dolphin either. 
 
Changhua Environmental Protection Union, Executive secretary, Wu Hui-jun (吳慧君), said that the wind turbine construction site was about 8 to 10 kilometers offshore, very close to the Chinese white dolphin’s habitat. She is worried that fan noise generated by the wind turbines, seafloor vibration, and dazzling reflections from the rotation of fan blades will impact the dolphin habitat.

In the end, a balance must be found between marine conservation, green-energy development and the livelihoods of fishermen. Though environmental sustainability is a difficult issue, it is certainly worth persevering with to find a path in which all parties can coexist together and flourish.  

Fears raised over impact of offshore wind turbines on fishermen’s livelihoods and survival of Chinese white dolphin

URL:https://www.peopo.org/news/283019

(以下是中文對照)

海上風機恐影響漁民生計及白海豚生存

7月27日上午，約80艘漁船聚集於彰化芳苑外海，抗議福海風機公司的離岸風機工程恐影響漁民生計和海上作業安全，抗議過程中，漁民甚至以漁船包圍海象觀測平台，甚至爬上氣象觀測平台高掛布條抗議，現場一度驚險。

經濟部為加速海上風力發電開發、打造綠色能源經濟，於101年7月公告實施「風力發電離岸系統示範獎勵辦法」，並於同年12月底選出海洋、福海及台電公司等三家示範獎勵業者，分別要在苗栗竹南外海、彰化海岸設立海上風力機。
 
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