Local salmon troller Rick Goche, left, talks about his concerns of wave energy parks taking away traditional fishing grounds, while salmon troller Shawn Ryan listens during a meeting with Ocean Power Technologies spokesman Steve Kopf and the local fishing fleet in Charleston on Wednesday. - World Photo by Susan Chambers

CHARLESTON — “We heard the fleet loud and clear,” Ocean Power Technologies’ spokesman Steve Kopf said to a group of local fishermen Wednesday night.

Kopf was referring to ongoing meetings in Reedsport for a wave energy park proposed off the coast near Gardiner. Commercial fishermen from Winchester Bay and Reedsport told OPT in 2007 that the deeper wave energy-generating buoys could be placed in the ocean, the better. The buoys would have fewer impacts to commercial crabbers who also fish the same area, fishermen said.

OPT now is considering developing a site off the North Spit. Like Reedsport, the potential site would be small — about 1⁄2-square mile in Reedsport and about 60 acres, or less than 1⁄4-square mile, off the North Spit. Ten buoys are planned for the Reedsport site and 20 planned for the Coos County site.

The Charleston group said buoys placed in 40 fathoms or deeper could have fewer impacts on crabbers, but may have more impacts on salmon trollers or groundfish trawlers. The proposed area will need more scrutiny to determine for sure what impacts it could have to the local fleet.

The 100 or so fishermen in attendance at the Power Squadron building in Charleston had several questions for Kopf.

Why wave energy and not wind?

Can fishermen navigate past on the East side of the area?

Are the buoys movable?

Is the company getting federal funding?

What is OPT’s long-range plan?

Who dictates the electric rates?

Kopf patiently answered as many questions as he could. Oregon International Port of Coos Bay Deputy Director Mike Gaul also answered some, as did Onno Husing, executive director of the Oregon Coastal Zone Management Association.

“Basically, this is our first get-together,” Gaul said.

The port organized the meeting and told fishermen Wednesday that it has two dogs in this fight: It counts on — and supports — the commercial fishing fleet, but at the same time is interested in renewable energy technology. Furthermore, the OPT energy line likely would come on land on port property.

Kopf said OPT hopes to have one buoy in the water off Gardiner this fall. The North Spit site progress is about one to two years behind the Gardiner site and wouldn’t see buoy placements for another couple of years.

Many fishermen clearly were concerned that part of their traditional fishing grounds could be used for a private firm’s gain.

“Why not go with equipment that’s proven?” Betty Kay Charters owner Bill Whitmer asked, referring to wind power. “Why mess up our industry?”

OPT’s proposed sites are much smaller than other proposed wave parks and that next generation wave energy technology will be able to produce more power from smaller areas. That’s one reason why OPT needs to consider a second site, Kopf said.

The buoys placed in the Reedsport OPT Wave Park could generate 150 kilowatts each. The ones proposed for the North Spit site would be better, generating 250KW each.

But the Coos County site on the North Spit couldn’t be fully developed until more studies are done, Kopf said.

OPT will have to, as a condition of federal licensing, do a minimum of three years of study on environmental effects, such as buoys’ impacts on salmon migration, Dungeness crab movements and whale migration. Whale studies already have begun off of Newport, Kopf said.

One of fishermen’s biggest fears is that wave parks will be hugely successful, enticing companies to develop more parks. As the number of parks grows, the more fishing grounds that would be lost, fishermen said. The cumulative impacts of increasing fishing regulations, wave energy farms and marine reserves could have a huge effect on the statewide fleet.

“It doesn’t matter where you put it,” salmon troller Rick Goche said. “You’re still taking grounds away from us.”

Kopf said the possibility of increased interest is possible, but first, the state needs to amend its Territorial Sea Plan for better management of its nearshore resources for such things as wave parks and marine reserves. It’s something that would benefit fishermen and also make it easier for companies such as OPT to plan.

Furthermore, Kopf said, those kinds of questions might be better posed to Chip Terhune, Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s chief of staff, who is visiting the coast this week to talk about marine reserves and wave energy.

The Ocean Policy Advisory Council, too, is working on recommended changes to the Territorial Sea Plan. Formal ideas likely won’t be ready for another month or so at the very least.

OPAC, Oregon Sea Grant and the Oregon Coastal Zone Management Association also are working on public outreach meetings to talk about marine reserves and wave energy.

“We’re working on getting objective information out,” OCZMA Director Onno Husing, who also is a member of OPAC, said. Further meetings will be organized and more information will be available on various Web sites in a month or two.

Husing, Gaul and fishermen also said that a local group will be formed to work with wave energy companies as plans move forward. The group’s structure will be based on the successful Fishermen Involved in Natural Energy organization in Lincoln County.

“We need to form a group to have a voice from our community,” Charleston fisherman Jeff Reeves said.

Kopf also will make a presentation to the Port Commission tonight at 7 p.m. during the Port’s regular meeting at Coos Bay City Hall council chambers.