An Oceanography‐Based Anticipatory Approach to Monitoring Fisheries and Fishery Resource Impacts From Offshore Wind Farms: A Perspective From the Mid‐Atlantic Bight, USA

Abstract

The Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) of the eastern US differs from other offshore wind (OSW) development sites due to a unique seasonal oceanographic stratification regime. Fisheries there target migratory finfish and sedentary shellfish, the productivity and distribution of which are driven by oceanography with dynamic mesoscale features that can encompass one or more OSW leases. The regulatory environment allows competition among universities and private companies in designing and executing innovative Fisheries Monitoring Plans (FMPs) under federal guidelines but has hindered a comprehensive plan that considers all the wind farms proposed for the MAB under shifting timelines. Different FMPs reflect that OSW development itself is not unified, but FMPs could integrate and share data. Here we present a perspective on an FMP developed as several surveys implementing Before‐After‐Control‐Impact (BACI) and Before‐After‐Gradient (BAG) designs to meet the challenges of this environment. These anticipate built structures and other nonaligned leases in an “oceanography based” approach. This plan roots analysis in an ecological understanding of the MAB even if methods require resource‐by‐resource survey. It is also novel in planning around potential sampling impacts by project development, and in anticipating concerns that multiple, independent, or loosely unified campaigns would otherwise bring. It merges extractive and nonextractive methods to support development of survey strategies that anticipate structural hindrance, limit cumulative impacts, and protect sensitive resources. Finally, it fully integrates commercial fisher participation in the design and execution to utilize the sector's extensive knowledge, capable vessels, potential displaced effort, and community trust building in survey results.

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