Changes to fisheries that result from offshore wind farm (OWF) installations may be considered good or bad depending on various stakeholders' perspectives.OWFs can act as artificial reefs benefit secondary fish production, but such effects also have ecological consequences.The exclusion effect turns some OWFs into no-go areas, hence effectively no-take zones, could provide resource enhancements redistribution.However, the displacement of fishing effort consequences elsewhere.Changes in...

Abstract Offshore wind farms often co-occur with biodiverse marine ecosystems high ecological, economic, and cultural value. Yet there are many uncertainties about how affect organisms their environment. The before–after–control–impact (BACI) design, an approach that compares impact location unaffected control both before after the intervention, is most common method used to study offshore finfish. Unfortunately, this design has several methodological limitations undermine its ability detect...

Offshore renewable energy development is being sought by US coastal states to meet their goals.Numerous offshore wind projects are proposed along the Atlantic coast, and additional areas explored in Pacific.Commercial-scale will share seas with marine fisheries that provide immense economic, recreational, cultural value as well local food security.An acceleration number of combined a lack clarity on how fishing activities be incorporated into planning process has created numerous challenges...

Abstract There is an urgent need to translate the outcomes of offshore-wind-fisheries research and monitoring into information that useful decision-makers. Papers published in peer-reviewed journals typically report whether or not results are significant based on a statistical test associated P-value which compared threshold (e.g. P < 0.05). However, significance cannot tell us observed hold any biological relevance. The lack clear connection relevance makes it difficult for...

Offshore wind farms are becoming increasingly common in the coastal margins of marine ecosystems worldwide. Yet, effects that farm structures have on fish populations remain unclear. To explore potential effects, a meta-analysis studies examined abundance finfish inside compared to nearby reference sites was conducted. Using well-established meta-analytic methods, overall effect size across all calculated, and then changes for soft-bottom complex-bottom oriented species were explored...

Renewable energy, sustainable seafood, and a healthy marine ecosystem are integral elements of blue economy. The rapid global advancement offshore wind coupled with its potential to affect life compels an urgent need for robust methodologies assess the impacts this industry on fisheries resource species. Basic Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) Control-Impact (CI) designs most common experimental used study effects development resources. These do not account spatial heterogeneity which...

Abstract Offshore wind development (OWD) is set to expand rapidly in the United States as a component of nation's effort combat climate change. slated begin Greater Atlantic region, where it expected interact with ocean ecology, human dimensions, fisheries data collections, and management. Understanding these interactions key ensuring coexistence offshore energy sustainable healthy marine ecosystem. These anticipated compelled authors, all scientists or managers at National Oceanic...

Abstract As the world develops sources of renewable energy, there is an intensifying interest in offshore wind energy production. The Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf (NES) ecosystem has favorable dynamics, with active development energy. In this study, we present species distribution models that consider both occupancy and biomass responses for a broad spectrum fish macroinvertebrate taxa ( n = 177). Building upon prior analyses, habitat was differentiated into overall core habitats based...

Abstract Offshore wind development (OWD) will generate much needed renewable energy, but it also introduce several stressors to the marine ecosystem. Therefore, there is a need develop information-rich monitoring programs assess ecological impacts and inform solutions mitigate adverse effects. This paper evaluates potential indicators of OWD on fisheries resources that could be considered for programs, including indices aggregate biomass, sensitive species, fish size, trophic dynamics....

States in the Northeast United have ambitious goal of producing more than 22 GW offshore wind energy coming decades. The infrastructure associated with development is expected to modify marine habitats and potentially alter ecosystem services. Species distribution models were constructed for a group fish macroinvertebrate taxa resident US Continental Shelf ecosystem. These analyzed provide baseline context impact assessment lease areas Middle Atlantic Bight designated renewable...

Multivariate ordination techniques were used to examine how size classes of four flatfish species, American plaice Hippoglossoides platessoides , winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus yellowtail Limanda ferruginea and fourspot Paralichthys oblongus are related bottom depth, temperature, substratum grain temporal factors using a 35 year time series from autumn spring in the Gulf Maine‐Georges Bank region. Depth had most explanatory value during both seasons cases, with fish generally...

We developed a mass balance ecosystem network model for Georges Bank, highly productive and intensively studied marine system located off the New England coast.This effort is part of broader initiative, Energy Modeling Analysis eXercise (EMAX), to describe characteristics major ecoregions Northeast Continental Shelf United States.Energy budgets this over last six decades have progressively increased in complexity.Our analysis based on 33 compartment model, ranging from phytoplankton mammals,...

Abstract The delineation of essential fish habitat is an important element contemporary fisheries management. Although local‐scale species–habitat relationships have been established for some managed species, we lack understanding these associations at the synoptic spatial scales on which populations and their associated operate. Interest in delineations has elevated further by increased awareness ongoing degradation caused mobile fishing gears advancement management tools. Here examine...

Offshore wind will generate much needed renewable energy in the U.S. and worldwide, but this industry also affect other ocean uses. In Northeast continental shelf (NES) ecosystem, these effects include impact that development have on design execution of long running scientific surveys conducted by National Marine Fisheries Service Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA Fisheries) which play a critical role provision information for stock assessment advice fisheries management. Recognizing...

Abstract Sand shoals provide both a potentially unique habitat resource for marine organisms and source of sand the replenishment eroded beaches. removal may negatively influence communities, so understanding how fauna utilize habitats at around would much‐needed guidance in selecting sites harvest. A 2‐year study was conducted on inner continental shelf Middle Atlantic Bight, U.S.A., to compare finfish invertebrate assemblages shoal nearby flat‐bottom habitats. Multiple sampling modalities...

ABSTRACT A multistep invasive species methodology was used to evaluate the probability that deployment of sterile non-native oysters (Crassostrea ariakensis, called Asian oyster) in field-based aquaculture could give rise a reproductive population Chesapeake Bay. Several pathways potentially lead unintentional release C. ariakensis from were identified. For four quantifiable pathways, estimated for each step based on knowledge ecological rates. conservative estimate number arise over one...

The interplay between local and large spatial scale processes in open systems is often dependent upon ecological context species specific factors such as longevity, dispersal capability, or vulnerability to predation. When disturbance clears patches systems, the successful reestablishment of adult colonizers trajectory succession may depend both event life history characteristics. Here we examine links size a long term patterns variation recruitment, density, percent cover relatively...

Abstract Methratta, E.T., and Link, J.S. 2012. Feeding hotspots for four northwest Atlantic groundfish species. — ICES Journal of Marine Science, 69: 1710–1721. We used predator distribution stomach content data to estimate the annual per capita rate consumption representative species from northwestern Ocean, considered how is influenced by depth, bottom salinity, sediment grain size, location variables, species-specific diet components. found that geographic variables prey resources were...

Abstract The development of wind energy on the US Northeast Continental Shelf (NES) may preclude resource-monitoring programmes from continuing in their original study designs. We considered spatial requirements developers and autocorrelation resident species as a means to inform survey mitigation. NES industry were respect delineation settled lease areas. suggest access metrics ranging 8 21 km representing interquartile range chord distances across Using data concentrating commercial with...