Science priorities to evaluate the effects of offshore wind energy development on fish and fisheries in the Gulf of America

Objective: Offshore wind (OSW) farms are slated for development in the Gulf of America (also known as the Gulf of Mexico), presenting a timely need to understand the potential effects of their construction and operation on marine ecosystems. Methods: To help address this need, we convened a transdisciplinary working group of scientists, managers, and representatives of commercial and recreational fisheries to identify and assess research priorities and recommendations related to the effects of OSW farms on fish and fisheries in the Gulf of America. Results: Here, we share these research priorities for shrimp, reef fishes, coastal migratory pelagics, forage fishes, oceanic pelagic fishes, coastal elasmobranchs, and invasive species. We then detail OSW research needs that are related to oceanographic and ecological processes, and we provide specific recommendations for fisheries management, marine spatial planning, and detection of social and economic effects. Our synthesis highlights three overarching considerations: (1) targeted data collection is needed to disentangle the effects of OSW from those of concurrent natural and anthropogenic stressors, (2) measuring the effects of OSW will require maintaining the integrity of long-Term fisheries-independent surveys and augmenting such surveys with comprehensive before-After-control-impact or before-After-gradient research designs, and (3) there are differences in public participation processes for nascent OSW development versus established fisheries management that should be considered to allow meaningful societal participation. Conclusions: Scientists and natural resource managers have a unique opportunity to address these priorities and recommendations, shaping the understanding of the effects of OSW.

Duke Scholars

Author Avery Paxton Marine Science and Conservation