New England Fisheries Management Council: Massachusetts on Offshore Wind and Fishing October 4, 2017 Bill White Senior Director, Offshore Wind Sector Development Terminal Director, New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal
Original Mass Wind Energy Area - 2011 2
Fisheries Working Group History & Mission In 2011, EEA (CZM & DMF) and MassCEC formed the Fisheries Working Group (FWG) so fishing industry could be engaged directly and provide input into the BOEM led offshore wind planning process. The FWG is comprised of Mass fishermen and reps from different ports and sectors/gear type, commercial/ recreational, scientists, and state & federal agencies. The FWG provides a forum for maintaining a dialogue with fishermen on offshore wind, getting their feedback and guidance, and identifying issues and concerns. 3
Fisheries Working Group - Members Name Organization Eric Hansen Scallop Boat Endeavor & Fisheries Survival Fund John Pappalardo Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's Alliance Peter Anthony Eastern Fisheries & New Bedford Fisheries Council Rodney Avila Commercial fisherman & New Bedford Fisheries Council Warren Doty Martha s Vineyard Fishermen s Preservation Trust Beth Casoni Massachusetts Lobsterman s Association Edward Welch E & J Scalloping Corp Steve Welch Fisherman & South Shore Fisheries Task Force Ron Smolowitz Researcher Coonamasett Farms & Fisheries Survival Fund Jim Kendall New Bedford Seafood Consulting & Mass Fishermen s Partnership Kevin Stokesbury UMass School of Marine Science and Technology & Chair Department of Fisheries Oceanography Jim Tietje Patriot Too Charter Boat & Cape Cod Charter Boat Association Jarrett Drake Drake Lobster & Massachusetts Lobsterman s Association Mike Pierdinock CPF Charters "Perseverance" & Recreational Fishing Alliance Ed Anthes- Washburn Director, Port of New Bedford Bruce Carlisle Mass Office of Coastal Zone Management Bill White Massachusetts Clean Energy Center David Pierce (Kathyrn Ford) Mass Division of Marine Fisheries James Bennett US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Ed LeBlanc US Coast Guard Chris Boelke (Sue Tuxbury) NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Tom Nies New England Fisheries Management Council Chris Kellogg New England Fisheries Management Council 4
Fisheries Working Group Past Meetings April 12, 2011 May 2, 2011 June 10, 2011 September 20, 2011 February 13, 2012 November 14, 2012 June 24, 2014 April 30, 2015 November 2, 2015 March 9, 2016 June 28, 2016 May 17, 2017 5
Benthic Surveys of Fishery Resources In 2012-2013, EEA & MassCEC funded Professor Kevin Stokesbury at UMass Dartmouth s SMAST to conduct benthic surveys using both high resolution photography and video of the offshore areas to assess the natural resources. Performed a video survey to measure the benthic macroinvertebrate community and substrate habitat in the proposed MAWEA Surveyed for and mapped densities of scallops, skate and flounder, and identified all other species recorded in surveys (50+ species) 6
Massachusetts FWG Outcomes In 2015, EEA & MassCEC worked to create Options for Cooperation Between Commercial Fishing and Offshore Wind Energy Activities that provided review of best practices from Europe. Recommendation that has resulted in hiring of a fisheries representative and liaison by each offshore wind developer in order to closely communicate with the fishing industry. 7
Massachusetts FWG Outcome Reduction of MAWEA by Almost 60% Input from the FWG was a primary reason for Massachusetts to request a reduction of the original offshore wind planning area by approximately 60% in order to avoid important fishing grounds. 8
Fisheries Priorities Moving Forward Fishing restrictions within offshore wind farms (USCG) Transmission line impacts on fishing Analyzing potential electromagnetic impacts on fish Explore regional fish surveys 9