Resources for Fishermen and Mariners
Weekly Mariners Update on Offshore Wind Activities
Updated: 11/2/2026
Disclaimer: The following information is an aggregation of publicly available information, presented to inform mariners of near real-time activities. Visit developer websites or contact developer Fisheries Liaison with questions.
Sunrise Wind (Ørsted): Active construction – Wind turbine construction, scour protection installation, offshore converter station commissioning, and inter-array cable laying and burial ongoing (cables will be exposed on the seabed for up to 3 weeks). See Weekly Mariners Notice for cable installation progress map. Contact safety vessels in the array before conducting bottom-contacting activities.
Export cable (from array to central Long Island south shore) installation complete. New cable protections are in place between project area and south coast of Long Island. Please update plotter files and contact safety vessels in the vicinity before conducting bottom-contacting activities.
Revolution Wind (Ørsted): Commissioning of final wind turbines is being conducted.
Empire Wind (Equinor) (9/4/2026): Offshore substation commissioning ongoing. Some trenching and burial of export cable may be ongoing. Active 500-meter safety zones around each of the 54 monopile foundations. Locations can be found in weekly USCG Local Notice to Mariners.
Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (Dominion Energy) (10/7/2026): Active construction – wind turbine construction ongoing, inter-array pre-lay grapnel run and cable laying/installation ongoing, offshore substation commissioning, export cable (nearshore) installation is complete, with only cable jointing and remediation activities remaining. Mariners are cautioned against anchoring, dredging or trawling in export cable corridor until construction is complete.
Vineyard Wind (complete – final turbine installed in March 2026): Limited wind farm vessel activity for ongoing turbine commissioning and maintenance. Fall Fisheries Trawl Survey ongoing, November 4-25.
Sources
- US Coast Guard Marine Safety Information Products and Local Notice to Mariners (select PDF of Weekly Edition with highest number)
- Ørsted Weekly Mariners Notice
- Equinor Mariner Updates/Local Notice to Mariners
- CVOW Monthly Mariner Updates
- NOAA Office of Coast Survey – ENC Chart Viewer
Additional Resources for Fishing Industry
- MarinerNotices.com – map with downloadable plotter files of new offshore wind-related infrastructure
- Ørsted – Navigating in and offshore wind farm Info Document
- BOEM – Fishing and offshore renewable energy webpage
- US Coast Guard – Guidance on Navigational Safety In and Around Offshore Renewable Energy Installations (NVIC 03-23)
- Marine Cadastre Submarine Cable GIS webpage
Concerns or Questions for Developers?
- Ørsted (South Fork, Revolution or Sunrise Wind) –Email MANEP@orsted.com (Marine Affairs) or submit to Contact Form (General Inquiries)
- Vineyard Wind – Third-Party Grievance Hotline
- Equinor (Empire Wind) – Complaints Portal
Map of Southern New England Offshore Wind Projects
Map of Southern New England Offshore Wind Projects, including Revolution Wind, South Fork Wind, Sunrise Wind, Starboard Wind, New England Wind 1 and 2, Vineyard Wind, Beacon Wind, SouthCoast Wind, and Vineyard Northeast.
*Projects without sufficient permitting to begin construction
Current Status of Offshore Wind Projects in Southern New England
Projects with “steel in the water”
| Project | Developer | Number of Turbines, Output and Model | Nameplate Capacity (Max Output) | Export Cable Landfall Location | Proximity - Closest Turbine to Land | Status as of October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Fork Wind | Ørsted | (12) 11MW Siemens Gamesa | 132 MW | Wainscott, Long Island, NY | 16nm ESE of Block Island, RI | Construction complete in March 2024 |
| Vineyard Wind | Avangrid & Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners | (62) 13MW GE Haliade-X | 800 MW | Barnstable, MA | 13nm S - Marthas Vineyard, MA | Construction complete, commissioning ongoing |
| Revolution Wind | Ørsted & Skyborn Renewables | (65) 11MW Siemens Gamesa | 704 MW | North Kingstown, RI | 13nm E – Block Island, RI | Construction complete, commissioning ongoing |
| Empire Wind | Equinor | (54) 15MW Vestas V236 | 800 MW | Brooklyn, NY | 11.5nm S – Jones Beach, NY | All monopile foundations installed |
| Sunrise Wind | Ørsted | (84) 11MW Siemens Gamesa | 924 MW | Mastic Beach, Long Island, NY | 14.5nm SE – Block Island, RI | All monopile foundation installed, turbine installation ongoing |
| Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind | Dominion Energy | (176) 14MW Siemens Gamesa | 2,600 MW | Virginia Beach, VA | 23.5nm E – Virginia Beach, VA | All monopile foundations installed, turbine installation ongoing |
Projects Awaiting Additional Permits
SouthCoast Wind, New England Wind, Beacon Wind, Starboard Wind and Vineyard Northeast (see above map) are in various stages of permitting and permit review; however, it is not anticipated that they will receive final approval to begin construction in the near future.
Mitigation Funds and Programs
While regulatory agencies and offshore wind developers aim to avoid and minimize the impact of projects on marine stakeholders like fishermen and the shoreside fishing industry, there often remains a need for mitigation efforts to offset financial impacts. There are various types of mitigation programs that have been created by developers and made available to the fishing industry: compensatory mitigation, resiliency funds, fishing gear loss programs, and vessel safety enhancement programs. MA DMF facilitates development, communication and disbursement of these funds.
Direct Fisheries Compensation
To date, each offshore wind developer that has reached the construction phase has created a compensation program aimed at providing direct fisheries compensation for co-located, interrupted or displaced fishing effort, and/or to associated shoreside fishing industry entities. These funds are specific to each project, and vary in requirements, scope and design.
A list of active direct fisheries compensation programs open for claims (as of July 2026) can be found here (REV, SFW, SRW, CVOW). Visit the (upcoming) Massachusetts OSW Direct Fisheries Compensation page for more information.
** Fisheries Compensation claims periods are closed for Vineyard Wind 1 and Empire Wind **
State-managed Resiliency and Mitigation Funds
In addition to direct fisheries compensation funds, developers can create Resiliency Funds (called “Fisheries Innovation Funds” or “Coastal Community Funds” in Massachusetts) after engagement with states, and analysis of the impact to a state’s marine fisheries stakeholders. While most of these offshore wind projects are sited in federal waters, the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 gives states the authority to review federal projects to ensure that they meet state laws and requirements. In Massachusetts these funds are guided by an advisory panel made up of at least 9 members; two Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission members, fishing industry representatives from various sectors and an offshore wind developer representative.
To read more about these funds and their progress, visit the (upcoming) Massachusetts Offshore Wind Resiliency Funds page for more information.
Regional Offshore Wind Compensation Fund
Understanding that fisheries mitigation programs have applied inconsistent qualification criteria across states, and that many fisheries operate at a regional scale, in 2022 nine New England and Mid-Atlantic states began an initiative to develop a regional offshore wind mitigation fund framework. This effort, called the Regional Fund, selected a twelve-person Design Oversight Committee (six fishing industry, three state agency representatives and three offshore wind developer representatives) to advise the regional fund administrator on specific criteria and guidelines with which to evaluate and pay out future compensation claims. More information can be found at the Regional Fund Administrator’s website, and questions or comments can be submitted to the MA DMF Offshore Wind contact.
** The public comment period on the Draft Framework is open through November 4 **
Gear Loss Claims
Fishermen who sustain gear loss or damage that they believe is attributable to an offshore wind project may submit claims for the following projects; South Fork/Revolution/Sunrise Wind (PDF), Vineyard Wind (PDF), Empire Wind (PDF).
Navigational Safety Program
Ørsted created the Navigational Enhancement and Training Program (NETP) to ensure that commercial and for-hire fishermen could acquire cutting edge electronics (like pulse compression radar) and take professional mariner training courses. Massachusetts-homeported commercial fishing vessels, charter vessels and Coast Guard inspected passenger vessels that have a history of fishing or transiting any of Ørsted’s three project areas are encouraged to visit the program webpage for more details.
** NETP program vouchers have been fully allocated as of May 2026. Contact program administrator for possible wait list inclusion **
Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships
As offshore wind development advances, the importance of meeting with stakeholders and hearing their concerns and experiences has become increasingly important. Prior to steel-in-the-water, MA DMF and EEA created multiple forums to allow for a responsible sharing of information. Likewise, Massachusetts state agencies who oversee offshore development have engaged with external agencies, experts and stakeholders to ensure that recommendations and lessons learned can be applied at a regional scale. The input of our local fishing industry, paired with the expertise of our regional state, federal, academic and non-profit partners provides the best opportunity for responsible development of offshore wind, with minimal disruption to existing user-groups.
MA DMF and EEA Initiatives
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, through MA DMF, CZM and other agencies under EEA, facilitates and promotes efforts to monitor, research, communicate and manage impacts of offshore wind and renewable energy development. MA DMF and CZM, with assistance from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), convene two working groups focused on offshore wind development. These groups meet up to four times annually to provide a forum for offshore wind-related discussions and maintain an open dialogue with our marine stakeholders.
The MA Fisheries Working Group invites commercial, for-hire and recreational fishermen, state and federal partners, offshore wind developers, and ENGOs to learn about and discuss critical issues quarterly. This allows for discussion of existing and newly published research findings, identification of issues of concern to marine stakeholders, and the development of research priorities. Public comments and updates from commercial fishing industry partners and offshore wind developers are welcome.
The MA Habitat Working Group convenes technical experts and scientists from academia, state and federal agencies, ENGOs and offshore wind developers to discuss potential habitat impacts of offshore wind development, and how opportunities for habitat improvement can be created. Considering that each phase of development may impact different ecosystems, these discussions include a broad range of stakeholders and experts. This working group seeks to identify areas of concern, and potential areas where state or federal guidance can be improved.
External Partnerships
The growth of offshore wind in the Northeast US has created a need for regional groups to lead discussions on numerous topics, including research coordination, fisheries and habitat impacts, and fishing industry-led support services. Additionally, nearly all states from the Mid-Atlantic through New England have created websites and platforms for engagement on renewable energy development. Here is a list of state, federal and private groups facilitating offshore wind discussions, many of whom partner with MA DMF.
State
- Maine Department of Energy Resources Offshore Wind Research Consortium
- Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management
- Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC)
- Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RI DEM)
- NYSERDA Technical Expert Working Groups on Fisheries (F-TWG) and Environmental (E-TWG) issues
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJ DEP)
Regional
- Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC)
- New England and Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Councils
Federal
- NOAA Fisheries – Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office and Northeast Fisheries Science Center
- Department of Interior - Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (now Marine Minerals Administration)
- Department of Energy – Tethys (Marine Energy and Wind Energy Research)
Private and Non-Profit
- Responsible Offshore Science Alliance (ROSA)
- Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative (RWSC)
- Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA)
- New England Aquarium Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life
Academia
- Regional SeaGrant programs (Rhode Island, Woods Hole, New Hampshire, Maine)
- University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST)
- Rutgers University
- University of Rhode Island
- SUNY Stony Brook
Research and Monitoring Projects, Publications and Resources
Completed and ongoing projects can be found in the ROSA FISHFOWRD Database. This online tool can be filtered to view projects by region, lead agency, receptor or impact group, and topic. The National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium maintains a Project Database as well. Peer-reviewed publications can be found in the Tethys Knowledge Base.
Details and updates on projects funded the Massachusetts Fisheries Innovation Fund and the Coastal Community Fund, mitigation funds administered by MA DMF and CZM, can be found on the (upcoming) Massachusetts Offshore Wind Resiliency Funds page.
In early 2026 ROSA published an Offshore Wind Research Gaps Analysis (PDF), which communicates the progress made to date, and the research still needed to fully understand the impacts of offshore wind on fish and fisheries of the region.
Details on all commercial worldwide offshore wind projects can be found at the Tethys Environmental Monitoring Metadata site.
Gulf of Maine - Floating Offshore Wind Planning
Siting offshore wind in the deeper waters of the Gulf of Maine will require floating foundation technologies.
Examples of different types of offshore wind turbine foundations: Monopile, Jacket, Tension Leg Platform, Semi-Submersible, and Spar. (Source: US Dept. of Interior, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement).
A process for identifying suitable areas for offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine took years of analysis and integrated countless feedback from fisheries and state partners. Ultimately, BOEM selected offshore waters of Wilkinson Basin and waters northeast of Cashes Ledge for offshore wind leases (see figure below). In 2024 four lease areas were awarded to two unique developers.
The longer timeline for development of these leases will allow for discussions about how best to deconflict impacts of floating offshore wind, including an appropriate route to land for the export cables. MA DMF, CZM and partners from Maine Department of Marine Resources and Department of Energy Resources continue to engage with developers and fishermen to set expectations and timelines for upcoming tasks.
The four Gulf of Maine offshore wind lease areas awarded in 2024 include Avangrid Renewables, LLC., Invenergy NE Offshore Wind, LLC., and Maine Research Lease (Pine Tree Offshore Wind, LLC).
Public Engagement Opportunities
MA DMF regularly provides offshore wind status updates to regulatory and advisory bodies like the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission (typically every other month), and the Commercial Fisheries Commission (quarterly). MA DMF and CZM hold at least three Fisheries or Habitat Working Group meetings on offshore wind annually. These meetings include public comment and allow for questions and engagement.
Understanding that fishermen are the eyes and ears of our marine ecosystems, our partner ROSA created FINsights, a tool where observations can be shared with researchers. These insights will help refine research priorities and support science that reflects the experiences and realities of those that work on the water.
These insights allow MA DMF and CZM to provide informed comments on federal agency actions in state and federal waters that may impact Massachusetts marine stakeholders. Comment processes like the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Federal Consistency allow Massachusetts to ensure that projects in and around state waters consider all potential impacts and include avoidance, minimization and mitigation measures where necessary.
MA DMF strives to understand and address the concerns of our marine stakeholders and Commonwealth citizens on issues related to offshore wind and fisheries. If you, or your organization, would like to engage on a specific topic, please contact us to begin a conversation.
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| Last updated: | October 21, 2026 |
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