Abstract
Floating offshore wind is an emerging renewable energy technology in U.S. waters and globally. The floating offshore wind turbine support structure is more complex than fixed-bottom installations, requiring buoyant platforms, moorings, and power cables that take up a larger footprint, both in the water column and along the seafloor. This complexity affects opportunities for compatibility between floating offshore wind and other ocean users, particularly fishermen, whose fishing gear also takes up space in the water column and along the seafloor.
This report describes the results of semi-structured interviews with key fishing informants from two focal fisheries: (1) Gulf of Maine lobster (fixed gear) and (2) Mid-Atlantic Bight pelagic longline and recreational tuna (mobile gear). A total of six fishermen were interviewed: four from the Gulf of Maine and two from the Mid-Atlantic Bight. The interviews were designed to elicit information and opinions on the co-design of marine space for particular fishing gear and floating offshore wind infrastructure. Here, we provide an overview of participant fishing experience, the spatial requirements of specific gear types, self-reported comfort levels in different fishing scenarios, and concerns about accessing and operating within floating offshore wind arrays.
This summary of fishermen’s concerns around floating offshore wind infrastructure can guide future coexistence conversations. In the Gulf of Maine interviews, key informants emphasized issues with transiting or fishing within arrays during inclement weather and the need to mark mooring lines to fish effectively in the space. They also provided examples of safety issues and potential solutions. Mid-Atlantic Bight fishermen also noted the need to mark mooring lines in a way that can provide real-time positioning information on chart plotters. There was a notably lower emphasis on safety concerns related to recreational fishing, and the key informant generally saw the offshore wind projects as a potential opportunity for increased catch.
There is wide variation in the spatial requirements of the gear types considered in this study. Pelagic longlining gear stretches for more than 20 miles, and the drift patterns are extremely unpredictable. The size of lobster fishing gear depends heavily on the number of traps per trawl, which is subject to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration regulations in certain areas. Recreational fishing has the smallest footprint and largest possibility of co-use within a floating wind farm. The spatial footprints of the various gear types correlate with the reported comfort levels of fishing within a wind farm.
The information gathered through interviews about the spatial requirements of fishing gear and the comfort levels of fishermen is being used to parameterize a hypothetical floating offshore wind array as part of a suite of array design solutions that improve accessibility for fisheries. The analysis aims to balance optimizations that maximize both the levelized cost of energy and the fishable area within the array. Comfort levels will be used to understand the relative likelihood that fishing will occur within a floating offshore wind array and scale the fishable area accordingly. Following the development of wind array design solutions, initial key informants and an expanded group of fishermen will provide feedback on the feasibility of accessing or actively fishing within the designs.