Government officials, local people and private partners have gathered in New Bedford, one of New England’s most productive sea ports to give red signal to Fishing for Energy programme, an effort to work with coastal communities to reduce the amount of abandoned fishing gear that ends up in the nation’s oceans.
Covanta Energy, a world leader in the development and operation of large scale Energy-from-Waste and renewable energy projects, is joining hands with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the Port of New Bedford to clear the environment from abandoned gear. It is found that these gears pose great threat to public health and the marine environment through the injury and death of marine life.
William Corso, deputy assistant administrator of NOAA’s National Ocean Service, said that the start of the programme indicated that public and private partnerships play in improving and protecting nation’s most important fishing grounds.
It is said that after removing from the environment, the gear will be transported to Covanta’s Energy-from-Waste facility in Haverhill, Mass. which provides electricity for 40,000 homes. Derek Porter, Vice President of External Affairs for Covanta Energy, informed that the joined effort reflects Covanta’s commitment to a safe and healthy environment by turning this abandoned gear into renewable energy.
Mayor Scott W. Lang of New Bedford, said, “This programme provides New Bedford fishermen with an economical and accessible means for disposing old fishing gear that at the same time will foster a cleaner marine environment and generate energy.”
