Whitby Lobster Hatchery gains further support from offshore wind farms

Two offshore wind farms are to increase and extend their support to help Whitby Lobster Hatchery officially open its doors for the first time – and continue its work to create a sustainable future for the Yorkshire coast and Whitby area.
By Duncan Atkins
Published 23rd Sep 2022, 10:09 BST
Joe Fedfern of Whitby Lobster Hatchery with a juvenile lobster.Joe Fedfern of Whitby Lobster Hatchery with a juvenile lobster.
Joe Fedfern of Whitby Lobster Hatchery with a juvenile lobster.

Dogger Bank C and Sofia offshore wind farms will provide funds to the charity to help with the installation of the sophisticated hatchery equipment at its Whitby Fish Market site, which will be used to enable the release of 100,000 juvenile lobsters into the ocean each year.

The projects are co-operating closely due to their proximity and to reduce impacts on local stakeholders, including the fishing community.

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The Hatchery’s small but knowledgeable team works closely with the local fishing industry on its three aims of conservation, primarily of increasing local lobster populations; education to teach people about the marine environment and promoting research in partnership with local universities.

Its objectives align closely with those of both the wind farm projects and their owners.

Whitby Lobster Hatchery General Manager, Joe Redfern, said: “In what has been a concerning past few months for the north east coast, with extremely low lobster numbers and wash-ups on beaches, the hatchery hopes to be part of the solution releasing juvenile lobster into impacted areas.

“This funding, and the earlier support provided by both the Sofia and Dogger Bank projects has been hugely influential in helping us deliver our ambitions for the Whitby Lobster Hatchery.

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"It has allowed us to continue to make great steps of progress with the hatchery installation.

"Everyone at the hatchery project is extremely grateful for their support and we look forward to collaborating in the future.”

The two separate wind farm projects are sited on Dogger Bank in the middle of the North Sea, more than 190km from the north east coast.

As well as helping with the hatchery equipment, the support from the two offshore wind farms will be a catalyst for Whitby Lobster Hatchery to deliver its conservation aims of releasing 100,000 juvenile lobsters into the ocean every year.

By rearing lobster larvae in the hatchery, the charity will dramatically boost the lobsters’ chance of survival.

Related topics:WhitbyYorkshireNorth Sea