Scientists, fisheries stakeholders, wind developers, and representatives of conservation organizations will converge in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Tuesday, August 21, during the AFS Annual Meeting for a panel discussion on offshore wind energy.
Offshore wind energy development is poised to rapidly expand in the United States, with the mid-Atlantic as the epicenter of development of this renewable energy resource. This provides the ideal opportunity for AFS to explore how the Society and fisheries professionals can help to better inform policymakers on fisheries issues that are relevant to wind energy development in the region and beyond as this nascent U.S. industry barrels forward.
Panelists will explore the trade-offs inherent in offshore wind energy development, discuss the state of the science regarding fisheries impacts, explore research gaps, and delve into the need for and framework for long-term regional monitoring on the front-end of proposed large-scale wind energy development in region. The panel will be a part of a larger two-day symposium on offshore wind energy that will take place at the meeting.
AFS fisheries scientists can help to inform policy makers by synthesizing the current knowledge on fisheries impacts from wind development, identifying research gaps, and working to develop the outline of a proper regional monitoring regime to inform state and federal regulators, coastal zone managers, and others in the mid-Atlantic and beyond.
Join us for what is sure to be a lively and informative discussion on this hot topic and if you can’t make the meeting, please consider how your skills and knowledge can better inform policy-makers around the country as wind energy development advances in other coastal states.