DEEE0009799

This research project is designed to evaluate the impacts of offshore wind development on commercial fish species and benthic habitats and communities using a suite of state-of-the-art, non-lethal survey methods. These methods include an open cod-end video trawl, a towed off-bottom optical survey vehicle, and anchored and ropeless stationary camera systems.

Surveys will be conducted before, during, and after wind farm construction to provide data on changes in commercial fish and marine invertebrate abundance and distribution. The surveys will also examine the relationship of these changes to habitat changes, the presence of new structures (turbine bases), and changing underwater noise levels.

By utilizing multiple non-lethal optical survey methods, this project aims to provide a holistic view of the habitats and communities that may be impacted by offshore wind development off Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Additionally, automated detectors for twenty-four fish and invertebrate species, chosen for their economic importance to the region, will be developed using the imagery collected during the surveys.

The efforts of this project will result in a new methodological framework for monitoring marine species in wind farms using optical surveys. This framework will include preferred survey designs, freely available automated detectors, and image sets for training new machine learning algorithms. Schematics for any new gear designs will also be provided.

Coonamessett Farm Foundation

THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY WILL SUPPORT EFFORTS TO ADVANCE THE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY OF OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY, IN SUPPORT OF THE JOINT AGENCY 30 GW BY 2030 DEPLOYMENT GOAL.

81.087 - Renewable Energy Research and Development

Golden Field Office (GFO) [DOE - EERE]

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) [DOE]

East Falmouth, Massachusetts 02536-4009 United States

Single Zip Code

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number DE-FOA-0002237: "Offshore Wind Energy Environmental Research and Instrumentation Validation" (DE-FOA-0002237)

Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 11/30/23 to 10/02/25 and the total obligations have increased 4% from $3,420,537 to $3,543,697.