​If you’ve been watching the slow-motion saga of American offshore wind, you might want to grab some popcorn—because the plot just took a very satisfying twist.

The five offshore wind areas that were temporarily stalled by the Trump administration are now back under construction, turbines rising like giant “told-you-so’s” on the horizon.

And honestly, it’s about time.

Once these five projects come online, they’ll do more than just spin gracefully in the breeze. They’ll boost American energy independence, help stabilize electric rates, help offset the ballooning energy appetite of data centers, create new opportunities for offshore aquaculture, drive portside improvements, and pump life into supply chain jobs up and down the coast. Not bad for something that critics once dismissed as “steel in the water."​

 

​Noise Mitigation Systems for Offshore Wind Monopile Installation
The installation of monopiles for offshore wind turbines involves driving large steel piles into the seabed, a process that generates significant underwater noise. This noise can adversely affect marine life, particularly species sensitive to sound, such as marine mammals and fish. To address these concerns, several noise mitigation systems have been developed and implemented to minimize the impact on the marine environment.
Bubble Curtains: One of the most commonly used noise mitigation techniques is the bubble curtain. This system involves releasing a continuous stream of air bubbles around the monopile during installation. The bubbles create a barrier that disrupts and attenuates the sound waves, significantly reducing the noise levels that reach the surrounding waters. Bubble curtains can achieve a noise reduction of up to 20 decibels, providing a substantial decrease in the potential impact on marine life.
Acoustic Deterrent Devices (ADDs): ADDs are employed to temporarily deter marine mammals from the vicinity of the construction site. These devices emit sounds that encourage animals to move away from the area, thereby reducing their exposure to harmful noise levels.
Hydro Sound Dampers (HSDs): HSDs are specially designed to absorb and dissipate underwater noise. These systems consist of foam and plastic elements that are attached to the monopile, acting as a dampening layer to reduce sound transmission.
Cushioning Material: Using various types of cushioning materials between the hammer and the monopile can also help reduce noise. Materials such as synthetic mats or wooden blocks are placed at the contact point to absorb some of the impact energy, thereby lowering the noise produced.
Vibratory Hammers: In some cases, vibratory hammers are used instead of traditional impact hammers. Vibratory hammers install the monopiles by vibrating them into place, which generally produces lower noise levels compared to the percussive action of impact hammers.
Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM): PAM systems involve using hydrophones to monitor underwater noise levels and the presence of marine animals in real-time. These systems can detect and identify marine mammals and other species in the vicinity of the construction site, allowing for the adjustment of activities to minimize impacts. PAM is particularly useful for ensuring compliance with environmental regulations and for guiding the implementation of additional mitigation measures if needed.
Protected Species Observers (PSOs): PSOs are trained professionals stationed on construction vessels to monitor for the presence of protected marine species, such as whales, dolphins, and sea turtles. They are equipped with the authority to call for a temporary work stoppage if these animals are sighted within a designated exclusion zone. This immediate response capability ensures that marine life is not exposed to harmful noise levels, enhancing the overall effectiveness of the mitigation measures.
Rutgers Glider Program: An innovative approach to environmental monitoring, the Rutgers Glider Program utilizes autonomous underwater gliders equipped with sensors to collect data on oceanographic conditions and marine life. These gliders can provide valuable information on the presence and behavior of marine species, as well as the effectiveness of noise mitigation measures. By deploying gliders in areas of offshore wind development, researchers can gain insights into the environmental impacts of construction activities and adjust strategies accordingly to protect marine ecosystems.
Time and Area Restrictions: Implementing temporal and spatial restrictions on pile driving activities can also mitigate noise impacts. By avoiding construction during sensitive periods, such as breeding seasons, and in areas with high concentrations of marine life, the disturbance to the ecosystem can be minimized.
Offshore wind developers may choose to employ one or more of these methods during installation to effectively reduce noise impacts.
The integration of these noise mitigation systems into offshore wind monopile installations is essential for balancing the development of renewable energy with the protection of marine ecosystems. By continuing to innovate and refine these technologies, the offshore wind industry can sustainably expand while minimizing its environmental footprint.

NJDEP| Offshore Wind | Research and Monitoring Initiative (RMI)

NOAA Recommendations for Use of Passive Acoustic Listening Systems | NOAA Fisheries

Offshore wind energy development has the potential to benefit the American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) in several ways, contributing to the overall health of marine ecosystems where these ancient creatures thrive. The structures associated with offshore wind farms, such as turbine foundations and submerged cable coverings, can act as artificial reefs. These reefs provide new habitats for various marine organisms, including horseshoe crabs. As these structures become colonized by algae, barnacles, and other sea life, they create rich feeding grounds and shelter for horseshoe crabs, promoting biodiversity and enhancing the marine ecosystem.​
Wind energy is a clean energy source that helps reduce reliance on fossil fuels. By decreasing the burning of fossil fuels, offshore wind farms contribute to lower emissions of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides, which can lead to acid rain and water pollution. Improved water quality benefits the entire marine ecosystem, including horseshoe crabs, which are sensitive to pollution and changes in water chemistry. Additionally, the development of offshore wind farms restrict the ability to bottom trawl near the foundations which in turn would reduce overfishing pressures, give them a hiding place and which could reduce bycatch. Horseshoe crabs, often harvested for bait and biomedical purposes, could benefit from reduced human activity in areas near wind farms. Protection from overfishing allows horseshoe crab populations to recover and maintain their ecological roles, such as being a crucial food source for migratory birds and many kinds of forage and gamefish.
Offshore wind projects require thorough environmental assessments and ongoing monitoring. These processes help identify and mitigate potential impacts on marine life, including horseshoe crabs. Developers are required to implement measures to protect marine species, such as creating buffer zones and timing construction activities to avoid critical breeding seasons. This careful management can enhance the conservation of horseshoe crabs. By providing a renewable energy source, offshore wind farms help mitigate climate change, which is a significant threat to marine ecosystems. Climate change results in rising sea levels, increased water temperatures, and more severe weather events, all of which can negatively impact horseshoe crab habitats. Stabilizing the climate through renewable energy sources like wind power helps preserve the coastal and estuarine environments where horseshoe crabs breed and thrive.
The development of offshore wind farms includes funding and opportunities for scientific research. This research can lead to a better understanding of horseshoe crab ecology, behavior, and conservation needs. Increased awareness and knowledge can drive more effective conservation strategies, benefiting horseshoe crab populations and the broader marine ecosystem. Additionally, offshore wind farms create jobs and stimulate local economies. Thriving coastal communities can invest more in marine conservation efforts, including those focused on horseshoe crabs. Public support for renewable energy can also foster a greater commitment to preserving marine environments and the species that inhabit them.
It's clear that offshore wind energy development, when properly managed, offers significant benefits for the American horseshoe crab and the broader marine ecosystem. This perspective emphasizes the importance of balancing renewable energy development with careful environmental stewardship to ensure a sustainable future for all marine life.
To take a deeper dive into the world of the American Horseshoe crab, you can visit:
Horseshoe Crab | National Wildlife Federation (nwf.org)
Horseshoe Crab Recovery Coalition – Saving the American Horseshoe Crab (hscrabrecovery.org)

By Captain Paul Eidman

It was all over the news: Hundreds of millions of dollars spent on new wind energy areas (WEAs) for offshore wind developers to start the survey process and determine where and how they will install the offshore wind turbines off New York and New Jersey.

As an experienced charter captain and recreational fisherman, and a close follower of the offshore wind energy industry, I wanted to explain what I believe this auction and these six WEAs mean to the fishing community.

First off, these new areas are further out than earlier wind farms and far out of reach of the average boater, with the closest area being 27 miles off the coast of New Jersey and the furthest being 53 miles out at sea!

Second, from the data provided we can estimate that there will be about 370* and the actual commissioning of these wind farms may not happen until almost 2030 or even later, so it is not going to be happening for a while. There’s a lot of engineering, permitting, and background work that goes into this process. Offshore wind takes an average of 7 years from winning the bid to having blades spinning and making energy.

Foundation-based offshore wind turbines max out depth-wise at about 190 feet, so these new areas are as far offshore as possible without going off the continental shelf which just happens to be in the sweet spot for blue and yellowfin tuna, so these structures will provide an incredible angling opportunity. These towers will become a magnet for the forage species that the tuna love to prey upon, you could even jig up some whiting which is highly prized as tuna bait.

I asked NY Bight charter Capt/Owner John McMurray for his reaction, knowing that he has expanded his One More Cast charter services dramatically to cater to the “jig and pop” tuna fishing community. Capt. John replied that he was “excited about the prospect of these new turbine areas and they will be in a very fishy spot. You just have to look at what the offshore oil rigs have done for the fishing & fisherman down in the Gulf of Mexico, plus there’s no oil to spill and the noise from the operations down there have little or no effect on the fishing.”

Originally, he was concerned about being shut out of the entire area during the construction phase as it was rumored that the areas would be closed off for a year or more. But in speaking with people in the industry, Capt. John found that the restriction would be limited only to the specific turbine being installed, with a security area drawn around it leaving the rest of the wind energy area open to fish.

Capt. John also reminded me that such structures won’t simply aggregate fish but increase bio productivity all around.  All kinds of growth occurs on the tower below, supporting all the creatures that eat it, which in turn, supports predators that eat them.

Tuna aside, the Mahi Mahi fishing around the towers and related substations has the potential, especially at these depths to be world-class and the potential to catch a major league bull Mahi presents itself like never before, not to mention other prime game fish.

On the whole, then, I believe that the six new wind farms will add more than 300 individual artificial reefs to the NY Bight area, which will allow charter captains to increase their businesses and catch more fish, and that in turn will bring in more revenues for docks, bait shops, and other supporting coastal businesses, not to mention opportunities to work with the developers on fishing surveys, as marine mammal observers, security vessels, etc. There are some real benefits to recreational fishing here if we know where to look for them.

​*This estimate is based on the agreed-upon megawatt (MW) installation capacity of each area divided by using the most powerful WTG available which is 15 mw currently.
Example: Area OCS-A 0544 at 523 MW divided by 15mw = 34 turbines

​Because of climate change, ocean water temperatures have been rising for decades, and warmer water is forcing gamefish and other marine creatures to move eastward and northward into deeper and colder waters.

Surf and Quahog clams and scallops have all moved further away from the bottom areas they used to prefer. Lobsters that were taken south of Long Island are shifting northward and moving closer into Atlantic Canada. Black sea bass have been migrating north for years. All of us working and fishing on the water are seeing drastic changes before our eyes, happening faster than we can adapt.

In addition to warming waters, the Atlantic is becoming more acidic as higher carbon dioxide is changing the pH of seawater. Ocean acidification directly affects the calcium levels in the shells of creatures such as mussels, oysters, scallops, and clams. Increased acidity also effects the inner ear bones of certain finfish that directly impacts homing instincts for migration and spawning.  Lobster studies have shown that acidification is causing them to have increased vulnerability due to “dull” senses and predators are taking full advantage of this. If you have heard of “bleaching” of coral reefs all over the world, this is also caused by acidification; any fisherman who has fished in the Caribbean knows that tropical shallow-water coral reefs are the “bread and butter” of fisheries habitat at these latitudes, and fishing, diving tourism and food production depend heavily on them. In fact, it’s estimated that acidification alone could cost the global economy $1 trillion per year in damage to fisheries, aquaculture, and reefs.

Fortunately, there is something we can do to slow down the twin dangers of seawater warming and acidification. After years of consultation and public input, the prospect of clean energy has arrived in the form of offshore wind generating renewable electricity. Hundreds of turbine towers are to be built and will be producing energy by 2025, expanding to over a thousand by 2030 on the continental shelf along the East Coast.
At the foundation of each of these generators will be an 80-foot diameter radius of football sized granite rocks (scour protection) surrounding a 30-foot diameter steel tower that extends off the seafloor through the water column and up into the sky.

One turbine at a time, the day these turbines are installed will be the birthday of an individual artificial reef, built in barren areas.  In a matter of months, mussels and other invertebrates will colonize the new structure and in turn, forage fish, gamefish and predators of all kinds will flock to this newly formed reef system.

What is currently barren seafloor, tormented by decades of bottom trawling and dredging will be converted into a massive artificial reef system that will run down the East coast. Without a doubt, we will witness a fish factory growing in front of our eyes, with mega scale “fish aggregating devices” (FAD’s) creating a vital habitat that’s both home and nursery for fish production. Increasing habitat for forage and gamefish species that inhabit the entire water column is the key to rebuilding fish stocks, especially at a time when so many of our species are diminishing.

BOTH Recreational and commercial fishermen will directly benefit from these new reefs in the very near future.​

Recreational anglers recognize the benefits of how clean energy from offshore wind power can help to put the brakes on the climate related damage done to gamefish species. As fishermen, we are pre-wired with a “find the structure find the fish” mindset and see a giant “win-win”. With full access to every structure, we are excited about the potential, not only that the structures will hold the fish longer along our coast, but to enhance the predictability and potential catches of bottom fish like summer flounder (fluke), black sea bass, tautog, cod and more. Bluefish, all types of tuna, bonito and mahi mahi will congregate and feed further up the tower.

There is already talk of adding well-designed turbine reef enhancement on top of the scour protection rock to enhance fishing and to improve fish stocks. Behind the scenes, we have been talking about the developer decommissioning process 25 years from now. We are working towards an implementation of the “rigs to reef” program (just like in the Gulf of Mexico) to ensure that after decades of ecosystem enhancement, these valuable reefs can be retained, and locations shared with fishermen and divers.
The five turbines at the Block Island wind farm in Rhode Island have been in the water as a prototype since 2016 and have quickly become a fishing hotspot destination for anglers seeking of all kinds of gamefish in all seasons. And, more recently, the two new turbines placed by Dominion Energy last summer twenty-seven miles off Virginia Beach have also become an instant fish magnet, as recently witnessed by divers in just a few months after installation.​

While they haven’t joined publicly in solidarity, there are other sectors of the commercial fishing world that quietly see the newfound structure as predictable hotspots to help them as well. Family-owned smaller commercial vessels that fish with static gear and provide local sustainable seafood for market (think black sea bass, blackfish, lobster, monkfish etc.) will be the first to set gear near these foundations and thrive. We have already seen this occur on the 13 artificial reefs here off New Jersey that were intended for the recreational sector and spent a decade getting “the pots off the reefs”.  These new turbine reefs will clearly be added to the hotspot list of new nearshore fishing destinations, supporting smaller, less-damaging methods of commercial fishing that don’t resort to expansive bottom trawling.

The old proverb ‘A lie will go round the world while the truth is pulling its boots on’ has never been more applicable. Nowadays, in the sea of social media and political overtones, false claims against offshore wind travel at light speed and getting solid information out is incredibly tricky.

One FACT that we can’t ignore is that continuing to burn coal, fuel oil and natural gas for electric power at the current rate will ruin our oceans and the creatures in it. Climate change is an undeniable threat to recreational fishing.
 
Looking at the many ways responsibly developed offshore wind power will improve the ocean; we are hopeful that it will benefit fisheries production sustainably for generations to come. Pollution free energy from offshore wind turbines offers us a solution that can help to slow down some of the most serious issues facing all fishermen. Offshore wind power could enhance and bring new life to our coastal ecosystems and economy if we just give it a chance.
 
Follow these links to watch offshore wind videos and our fishing trip to the Block Island Wind Farm

Link to petition for New Jersey residents:
Take Action (offshorewindnj.org)

​In 2017 Equinor Wind US, LLC was awarded the lease to study and develop OCS-A 0512, the area now known as Empire/Boardwalk Wind, in the New York Bight. On July 18, 2019, New York Governor Cuomo awarded Equinor Wind a contract to supply 816 MW of renewable offshore wind power to New York from the Empire Wind project in this lease area. Most recently, Equinor released a planned layout for this project, allowing anglers like us to get a sense of what the project will entail, as well as what the entire lease area could look like when built out. 

​The initial phase of this project will be able to power over 500,000 New York homes, with an expected operations date of 2024. The second phase will be awarded in the future. 

​The lease area starts about 14 miles south of Jones Inlet, Long Island and 17 miles east of Sea Bright, New Jersey.  It extends approximately 22 nautical miles (nm) to the southeast, in water depths of between 60-130 feet (10-22 fathoms).
 
This triangle shaped area will have about 68 turbines at the top of the triangle that will feed New York (named Empire Wind) and then in the near future, at the opposite end, the possibility for another 130 turbines that will feed New Jersey or New York. Empire Wind will have a single substation and future buildouts will have two substations. 

Recreational anglers with boats from all over the New York and New Jersey Bight will have open access to the windfarms – which will serve as massive artificial reefs, attracting gamefish species like black sea bass, tautog (blackfish), scup (porgy), bluefish, summer flounder (fluke), cod, mahi mahi, and tuna.
 
The developer has planned a number of steps to minimize impacts to habitat and other ocean uses.  They are:

• Prioritizing using “gravity foundations” that minimize the need for pile driving.
• Aligning turbines in a manner that reduces impacts on vessel navigation equipment (e.g. radars) and maintains search and rescue capabilities.
• Avoiding building on Cholera Bank

 
You can read their entire site plan here.  It is important to note that this layout is not set in stone, and there will be opportunities to provide feedback to the developer. Anglers for Offshore Wind Power is committed to staying on top of this project and ensuring it adheres to our three principles of guaranteed fishing access, fisheries impacts monitoring before, during and after construction, and opportunities for public input throughout the process.  Stay tuned for more!

Anglers see the impacts of warming water firsthand as species move further north.  They also stand to benefit from the significant artificial reef structure that will be created by hundreds of turbines installed off our coasts.  For these reasons and more, offshore wind power is a great opportunity for recreational anglers, but development must be done responsibly.

Anglers for Offshore Wind Power promotes a set principles for responsible development: guaranteed fishing access; ongoing monitoring of fisheries impacts; and opportunities for public input on projects and permitting.  We’ve seen this thoughtful approach to development work firsthand at America’s first and only offshore wind farm off of Block Island, Rhode Island, which you can see in our new video.

​Please share this video with your friends, on social media, or however you can to help share the story of how responsibly developed offshore wind power can make recreational fishing better.  As offshore wind power development ramps up, now is the time to get engaged to ensure offshore wind power develops in a way that works for recreational anglers.

When Anglers for Offshore Wind Power launched a year and a half ago with the input of captains, fisheries advocates, and fishing clubs, states were in the process of making significant commitments to purchase offshore wind energy and developers were readying projects to keep up with the growing demand for clean energy.  Since then, there have been numerous announcements from developers and state and federal agencies – the momentum is building.  In addition to our new video, we thought this would be a good opportunity to update you on the latest commitments and projects to show just how much has transpired in a few months:​

To learn more about each states projects, visit their state page on the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Website. 

In order to stay engaged in this campaign and learn more, please sign our principles today.

Last month, New York announced the award of two offshore wind projects that will provide 1,700 megawatts of power – enough to power 1 million homes – to the state.  One of developers, Equinor, owns the rights to develop offshore wind power in a lease area in the New York bight, approximately 15 miles south of Jones Beach, Long Island and 17 miles east of Sandy Hook, New Jersey.
​
For many anglers, offshore wind power has flown under the radar for years. Today, states are making ambitious commitments to develop more of this clean energy source in the next five years, but the only offshore wind project in the entire country consists of five turbines operating off of Block Island.  This is all going to change very quickly as we go from five to hundreds of turbines from New Jersey to Massachusetts right in front of our eyes.

Adding all of that underwater structure will serve as new artificial reef hot spots well within reach of many anglers, and sooner than we imagined. The Block Island Wind Farm saw the turbine foundations covered in mussels in just a few months, and today anglers are catching black sea bass, fluke, cod, scup, tautog and mahi-mahi around the turbines.

New Jersey just selected its first ever offshore wind project – now is the time for anglers to get engaged so this and future projects can work for us.

The Fourth of July holiday started off with a bang as the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) selected a bid to develop the state’s first ever offshore wind power project.  After a competitive bidding process, the BPU awarded an 1,100 megawatt project to Danish renewable energy company Ørsted to partner up with PSEG, American supply chain companies and New Jersey-based workers.  Once completed, this project will power more than 500,000 homes, delivering clean reliable renewable energy at a competitive price to New Jersey ratepayers. Depending on the technology available at the time of construction, we’d expect around 100 turbines in this wind farm and for it to be operational by 2024.

The board acknowledged that the bid was selected in large part due to the economic development provisions in the project, which included opening a headquarters in Atlantic City.

​Most critical to us anglers, though, is that at its closest point, this project will be about 15 miles off the coast of Atlantic City, Great Egg Harbor and Corson Inlets making it easily accessible for fishing. Note that the lease area shown here represents the exploration area only, actual turbine siting has not been decided yet.  This 15 mile distance from shore reduces visual impact, and minimizes conflicts with known migration routes of wildlife as well as marine traffic.

Experience at the Block Island Wind Farm has shown that these turbines start to grow mussels and begin forming habitat and holding fish as soon as they’re installed – even before the turbines are erected.  That means, anglers could be catching fish on the newly formed reef habitat at the turbine foundations in just a couple of years from now.

The experience of other Anglers for Offshore Wind Power advocates tells us now is the time to get engaged in the permitting process.  In the coming months, we’ll start to see more site-specific plans as well as planned fisheries and environmental studies.  We’ll have numerous opportunities at the state, federal and even local level to provide comments on the projects so that they will best serve the interests of recreational anglers. As this is New Jersey’s first project, it’s even more important we get this one right. Be sure to follow Anglers for Offshore Wind Power online, attend meetings and share info with all of your friends.

As a reminder, our principles are:

1.Guaranteed fishing access to the turbine foundations

2.A commitment to scientific fisheries monitoring before, during and after turbine construction

3.Ample opportunity for public input

These aren’t just ideas on paper.  As states like Massachusetts and Rhode Island are farther along in the project development process, we’ve:

• Consistently asked developers, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and Coast Guard about guaranteed fishing access – all of which have publicly stated they do not plan on restricting fishing access outside of construction.
  
  
• Asked Vineyard Wind in one-on-one conversations and during environmental impact hearings to monitor impacts to pelagic species in the wind farm area 17 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard – which they have agreed to do.
  
  
• Are currently commenting on the fisheries monitoring plan for the South Fork Wind Farm which will be developed near Cox’s Ledge off the coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
  
  
• Have attended and recruited attendance at public hearings and created forums where anglers can speak directly with developer representatives outside of the official permitting process.
  
  

There’s a lot of moving pieces to these projects, but if developed responsibly and with the concerns of recreational anglers in mind, there’s no doubt in my mind that these things will be fish factories and become fishing hotspots for individual anglers, charter captains and party boats in the very near future.
If you want to support responsible development of offshore wind power that works for recreational anglers, sign our principles today.

NOTICE: Anglers/mariners should be aware of survey operation vessels working in the area and give them a wide berth. They will be towing gear out to 1000 feet behind them. These vessels have restricted ability to Maneuver. (VRAM)