Abstract
Recent advances in technology have expanded the focus of U.S. offshore wind beyond near-shore development to deeper waters including the Gulf of Maine, necessitating floating wind technology. The larger spatial footprint and associated mooring lines create a unique conflict for fishermen. In addition to potential exclusion zones, there are also localized concerns including a lack of direct community benefits, local workforce impacts, and equitable distribution of benefits and costs. There remains a considerable opportunity to better understand the complex analyses that drive acceptance, such as the distribution of benefits and burdens, risk perception, the role of institutions, and perceptions of fairness in decision-making. Dynamic, multisensory visualizations using virtual reality (VR) offers a progressive approach to stakeholder engagement with fishing communities. We present results from an attitudinal study in coastal Maine's fishing communities facing floating offshore wind proposals, where tensions between fishermen and wind development were high. Using interviews with immersive VR where participants interacted with a modeled wind farm in Maine, we find elements of distributive justice were prevalent, and that impacts to the “fishing community” were stronger drivers of perceived burdens than personal effects were. We also find that elements of procedural justice (information access, trust in decision-makers, and transparency) were as or more important drivers of perceived fairness in offshore wind decision-making than issues of distribution of benefits and burdens. Our findings underscore the importance of local context, partnerships with local institutions, and enhanced information access to facilitate more collaborative decision-making and improve goodwill among all parties.