Southern New England

 

The Rhode Island/Massachusetts offshore wind block consists of 7 leases south of Martha’s Vineyard, southeast of the existing turbines of the Block Island Wind Farm. Learn more about the specific leased areas by visiting BOEM’s Atlantic Fishing Industry page. Complementary to the federal leasing process, many states have their own requirements. Several states’ energy or fisheries offices have organized fisheries working groups to better understand concerns of their fishermen. Existing fisheries working groups:

  • Connecticut Commission on Environmental Standards;
  • Massachusetts’ Fisheries Working Group on Offshore Wind Energy – administered by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs & MA Clean Energy Center (CEC);
  • New Hampshire Offshore Wind Task Force; and
  • Rhode Island Fishermen’s Advisory Board (FAB) – established by the CRMC Ocean Special Management Area Management Plan (SAMP);
Relevant Documents:
Vineyard Wind Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Request for Comment on Massachusetts Offshore Wind Transmission
Second Request for Comment on Massachusetts Offshore Wind Transmission

WIND ARRAY VESSEL TRANSIT

Safe transit for mariners through wind energy areas is a key issue for fishermen with regard to offshore wind development in the U.S. Currently, the regulatory process does not require any specific project design conditions to allow fishermen to safely transit through wind energy areas on the way from ports to traditional fishing grounds. This is a critical shortcoming in the federal planning and review process. RODA is striving to address this issue and ensure our fishing fleets’ safety at sea.

Learn more about RODA’s work on safe transit for fishing vessels here:

Northeast Wind Energy Area Transit Lane Development

 

MITIGATION

RODA maintains that mitigation of fisheries impacts from new offshore development should follow a step-wise approach that follows the principles of avoiding conflicts, minimizing those that are unavoidable, mitigating the impacts from new development, then—and only once those have been adhered to—consider compensation for any residual losses.

To learn more about communication on mitigation plans click here:

Mitigation