RYA calls wind farm safety zones 'unenforceable'
Jul 10th, 2009
The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) has called on developers of offshore wind farms to comply with international maritime laws. The comments come after the company behind the development of the Greater Gabbard wind farm in the North Sea gave into pressure from yachting groups and opted against seeking the imposition of a full 'safety zone' around its turbines.
Should such a zone have been implemented, it would have meant that any yachts venturing into the waters could have been hit with fines of £5,000, with skippers even facing jail sentences.
According to the RYA, such a plan would have been "unenforceable and unpractical", with the proposed 'advisory' zone to be set around the turbines far more realistic.
Dr Susie Tomson, RYA's planning and environmental advisor said: "Creating a safety zone that excludes navigation interferes with the right of innocent passage as defined under the International Law of the Sea.
"The RYA considers any proposal to interfere with this right seriously and will only support such an application where the necessity to do so is clearly demonstrated."
The RYA recently announced changes to the transmission frequencies of a number of buoys within UK waters.
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Come on Chris… when’s the next one?"
