BOEM and NOAA are teaming up to mitigate the impacts of offshore winds on fisheries

The Ocean Energy Management Office (BOEM) f National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries addresses potential impacts of offshore wind vitality growth on scientific surveys carried out by NOAA Fisheries. The Federal survey mitigation strategy Underscores the businesses’ shared dedication to the Biden-Harris Clear Power Administration’s targets of responsibly advancing offshore wind vitality manufacturing whereas defending biodiversity and selling shared use of the oceans.

NOAA Fisheries surveys are important to the sustainable administration of the nation’s fisheries. For 150 years, company scientists have collected survey information that underpin science-based administration of US federal fisheries, assist the safety and restoration of marine mammals and endangered species, and improve understanding and conservation of coastal and marine habitats. and ecosystems for future generations.

“This joint technique will assist be certain that the standard of NOAA fisheries surveys and information is maintained whereas the nation develops offshore wind vitality,” says Janet Coit, NOAA Affiliate Director of Fisheries, Appearing Assistant Secretary of Commerce for the Oceans and Ambiance, and NOAA Deputy Administrator. “Our fisheries surveys permit NOAA to watch essential developments for particular person species over time, with broader targets of understanding marine ecosystems, significantly within the face of local weather change, and supporting sustainable fisheries.”

“BOEM values ​​our partnership with NOAA to proactively deal with key challenges as we work collectively to realize bold offshore wind administration targets,” provides Amanda Lifton, BOEM Administrator. “We’re dedicated to incorporating the very best obtainable science into our decision-making processes as we proceed to advance the Biden-Harris administration’s purpose of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind capability by 2030. By taking a whole-of-government strategy, we will leverage the expertise and sources of our federal companions to make sure the accountable growth of wind energy Navy. “

Throughout the environmental assessment of the primary offshore wind venture on the outer continental shelf of america, BOEM and NOAA fisheries recognized main adverse impacts on surveys carried out within the Northeast. In response, a draft survey mitigation technique was developed and made obtainable for public remark earlier this 12 months. The technique is now accomplished, and it identifies the important parts to mitigate the impacts of offshore wind vitality growth on surveys.

The 5 targets of the technique are to mitigate the impacts of offshore wind vitality growth on NOAA fisheries surveys in addition to consider and, the place relevant, combine monitoring research of wind vitality growth with NOAA fisheries surveys. You’ll collaboratively plan and implement NOAA fisheries survey mitigation with companions, stakeholders and different customers of the oceans utilizing ideas of finest obtainable scientific data and co-production of information, together with native fishermen’s environmental information and indigenous conventional environmental information.

The technique will implement this technique adaptively recognizing the long-term nature of surveys and the dynamic nature of wind vitality growth, survey strategies and approaches, marine ecosystems, and human makes use of of marine ecosystems. It would contain prior coordination between NOAA Fisheries and BOEM in implementing this technique and sharing experiences and classes discovered with different areas and nations the place offshore wind vitality growth is being deliberate.

The technique — with a deal with New England and the mid-Atlantic — will function a mannequin for addressing the consequences of offshore winds on NOAA fisheries surveys in different areas. Nationally, NOAA Fisheries assesses the standing of roughly 450 fish shares, 200 marine mammal shares, and 165 threatened or endangered species (whereas recognizing that some marine mammals are additionally in danger). These assessments are based mostly on greater than 50 standardized, long-term surveys, a lot of which have been ongoing for greater than 30 years.

BOEM is the lead federal company liable for leasing america’ outer continental shelf for marine vitality growth. NOAA Fisheries is liable for stewarding the nation’s dwelling marine sources together with fisheries, marine mammals, and endangered species, their habitats, and ecosystems. Each businesses share obligations for useful resource administration, analysis, public engagement, and different necessities associated to selling offshore wind vitality growth, defending biodiversity, and selling shared use of the oceans.