NEW: The next meeting of the Fisheries Working Group on Offshore Wind Energy will be held on December 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. See the "Meetings" section below for agenda, which will be available soon.
Offshore wind energy is the largest ocean-based renewable energy resource in Massachusetts and significant progress has been made on the planning, siting, analysis, and leasing for potential offshore wind energy projects in federal waters off the Commonwealth. In federal waters, the leasing of the Outer Continental Shelf for renewable energy is the authority of the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). Since 2009, Massachusetts has been working closely with BOEM, participating on an Intergovernmental Task Force comprised of federal, state, tribal, and local agency representatives and elected officials. For more information, see the BOEM Renewable Energy web page and the BOEM Massachusetts Activities web page.
To augment the Intergovernmental Task Force process and engage directly with key stakeholders, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (CEC) convened two working groups for fisheries and marine habitat issues. While the working groups are voluntary and informal, they provide a critically important forum for maintaining a dialogue with key stakeholders, getting their feedback and guidance, and identifying issues and concerns. Input from the working groups has directly resulted in accommodations to avoid important marine habitat, fishing grounds, and marine commerce routes in the designation of the wind energy lease areas. The working groups will continue to provide valuable advice as leaseholders proceed through the next phases of the BOEM wind energy commercial leasing process, including site assessments, environmental and technical reviews, and development of construction and operations plans.
Membership
The Fisheries Working Group on Offshore Wind Energy is comprised of commercial fishermen and representatives from different ports and sectors, recreational fishermen, scientists, and state and federal agencies.
| Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Eric Hansen | Scallop Boat Endeavor & Fisheries Survival Fund |
| John Pappalardo Seth Rolbein |
Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's Alliance |
| Peter Anthony | Eastern Fisheries & New Bedford Fisheries Council |
| Rodney Avila | Commercial fisherman & New Bedford Fisheries Council Fisheries Representative Deepwater Wind |
| Shelley Edmundson Warren Doty |
Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust |
| Patrick Paquette | Basic Strategies |
| Beth Casoni | Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association |
| Steve Welch | Fisherman & South Shore Fisheries Task Force |
| Edward Welch | E & J Scalloping Corp |
| Ron Smolowitz | Researcher Coonamasett Farms & Fisheries Survival Fund |
| Jim Kendall | New Bedford Seafood Consulting & Mass Fishermen’s Partnership Fisheries Representative Vineyard Wind |
| Kevin Stokesbury | UMass School of Marine Science and Technology & Chair Department of Fisheries Oceanography |
| Jim Tietje | Patriot Too Charter Boat & Cape Cod Charter Boat Association |
| Jarrett Drake | Drake Lobster & Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association |
| Mike Pierdinock | CPF Charters "Perseverance" & Recreational Fishing Alliance |
| Dan Farnham Jr. | Silver Dollar Seafood |
| Katie Almeida | Town Dock Seafood |
| Dan Orchard | Fishing Partnership |
| Bonnie Brady | Long Island Commercial Fishing Association |
| John Williamson | SeaKeeper Fisheries Representative Bay State Wind |
| George Krikorian | New Bedford Port Authority |
| Dan McKiernan |
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries |
| Lisa Berry Engler | Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management |
| Bruce Carlisle Nils Bolgen |
Massachusetts Clean Energy Center |
| Michele DesAutels | U.S. Coast Guard |
| Andy Lipsky Sue Tuxbury |
NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service |
| Tom Nies Chris Kellogg |
New England Fisheries Management Council |
Meetings
Meetings of the Fisheries Working Group on Offshore Wind Energy are generally convened at certain benchmark points in the wind energy commercial leasing process.
Next meeting
December 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- Agenda - Coming Soon
- Link to Zoom Meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86451123657 - One tap mobile access:
+16469313860,,86451123657# US
Past meetings
September 29, 2023
- Agenda (PDF, 98 KB)
- Presentations - (PDF, 8 MB)
- Meeting Summary - (PDF, 187, KB)
June 23, 2023
- Agenda (PDF, 117 KB)
- Presentations (PDF, 13 MB)
- Meeting Summary (PDF, 170 KB)
March 31, 2023
- Agenda (PDF, 68 KB)
- Presentations (PDF, 13 MB)
- Meeting Summary (PDF, 178 KB)
January 20, 2023
- Agenda (PDF, 107 KB)
- Presentations (PDF, 7 MB)
- Meeting Summary (PDF, 194 KB)
October 14, 2022
- Agenda (PDF, 79 KB)
- Developer Updates (PDF, 4 MB)
- Presentations (PDF, 1 MB)
May 24, 2022
- Agenda (PDF, 72 KB)
- Presentations (PDF, 17 MB)
March 2, 2022
- Agenda (PDF, 199 KB)
- Presentations (PDF, 22 MB)
December 10, 2021
- Agenda (PDF, 159 KB)
- Presentations (PDF, 21 MB)
- Meeting Summary (PDF, 255 KB)
September 23, 2021
- Agenda (PDF, 142 KB)
- Presentations (PDF, 16 MB)
- Meeting Summary (PDF, 213 KB)
June 14, 2021
- Agenda (PDF, 149 KB)
- Presentations (PDF, 18 MB)
- Meeting Summary (PDF, 208 KB)
March 31, 2021
- Agenda (PDF, 115 KB)
- Presentations (PDF, 14 MB)
- Meeting Summary (PDF, 187 KB)
November 22, 2019
- Agenda (PDF, 114 KB)
May 16, 2019
- Agenda (PDF, 91 KB)
March 29, 2019
- Agenda (PDF, 78 KB)
September 20, 2018
- Agenda (PDF, 192 KB)
September 6, 2018
- Agenda (PDF, 193 KB)
June 18, 2018
- Agenda (PDF, 44 KB)
May 7, 2018
- Agenda (PDF, 85 KB)
February 12, 2018
- Agenda (PDF, 78 KB)
May 17, 2017
- Agenda (PDF, 78 KB)
June 28, 2016
- Agenda (PDF, 93 KB)
March 9, 2016
- Agenda (PDF, 80 KB)
November 2, 2015
- Agenda (PDF, 62 KB)
April 30, 2015
- Agenda (PDF, 105 KB)
June 24, 2014
- Agenda (PDF, 112 KB)
November 14, 2012
February 13, 2012
September 20, 2011
June 10, 2011
May 2, 2011
April 12, 2011