Today, we were introduced to Mr. Eric Newton and Ms. Juleen Savarese. They told us about OAI and our projects that we’d be assisting them with. We’re doing research that will help OAI write scientific paper on these topics. The topic I’ve been assigned is down below.
- What are the impacts of offshore wind on species of interest? – endangered species; economically/culturally significant species
- Impact during construction, operation of offshore wind farms
- North Atlantic Right Whales – fewer than 400 individuals remaining
- Cod, herring, haddock, silver hake, lobster, scallops
- Mitigation strategies
- Artificial reefs, exclusion zones, co-location of fisheries
- Impact during construction, operation of offshore wind farms
Today, I spent my time researching the construction process of offshore wind farms to better establish my knowledge. Essentially, they are a method of sustainable energy; however, we don’t know the specific impacts these farms will have on local ecosystems. Mr. Newton emphasized that when making decisions about these policies a wholistic view is essential. Below, I’ve provided an example of an offshore wind farm.
