Abstract
APEM and Normandeau were contracted by Equinor Wind US to provide a full year of digital aerial wildlife surveys of the Massachusetts Lease Area OCS-A 0520. Surveys will be carried out on a monthly basis from December 2019 through November 2020, except for April, May, August, and September, when two surveys per month shall be carried out in order to coincide with potential use of the area by roseate tern (Sterna dougallii).
The aims and objectives of the work are to assess the abundance and distribution of birds, marine mammals, sharks, rays, and turtles present in the Lease Area OCS-A 0520 over the course of a full year. The surveys will provide the baseline information required for conducting impact assessments and are consistent with the survey guidelines for providing avian, marine mammal, and sea turtle information for renewable energy development on the OCS (BOEM 2017 and 2019).
The Survey Area referred to herein is comprised of the Lease Area OCS-A 0520, plus a 2 km (c. 1 NM) buffer surrounding it with an approximately 4 km (c. 2 NM) buffer towards the northeast end.
Images were captured using a grid-based survey design with a 1.5 cm ground sampling distance (GSD). Images were analyzed by APEM and quality assurance was undertaken by Normandeau. This report describes the results of the October 2020 surveys.