The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has announced that the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) has identified members of a new standing committee on offshore wind energy and fisheries. BOEM requested NASEM to establish the committee as part of the bureau’s efforts to expand and improve its engagement and communication with the fishing community on offshore wind energy activities.

The committee is a diverse group of stakeholders related to offshore wind and fisheries broadly, such as commercial and recreational fisheries, scientists, nongovernmental organizations, community and tribal representatives and the offshore wind industry.

The initial members of the Committee for Offshore Wind Energy and Fisheries are:

James Sanchirico (chair)
Daniel Doolittle
Janet Duffy-Anderson
Tricia Jedele
Stephen H. Joner
Eric Kingma
Daniel Kipnis
Sara Maxwell
Steven Scyphers
Ronald Smolowitz
David Wallace
Dick K. Yue

The committee will serve as an independent, credible forum to discuss the state of science and pressing concerns related to the intersection of offshore wind with fisheries. It will provide BOEM ongoing assistance in the development of the nation’s offshore wind energy resources and their potential effects on fisheries. The committee will meet regularly to:

• Engage in discussions and exchanges of information on key topics of interest to BOEM’s activities related to offshore wind and fisheries.
• Provide expert assessment of recent developments in selected fields of science and technology, including reviewing and providing general advice on gaps and priorities for research.
• Provide stakeholder understanding and insights on a diversity of issues pertinent to offshore wind and fisheries to ground discussions, provide context, and expand the committee’s and BOEM’s understanding on the topics of discussion.

The committee will choose meeting topics in consultation with BOEM staff, based on input from BOEM and other stakeholders.

Any interested parties or individuals may provide comments on committee composition and project scope until February 23, 2023 at: www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/standing-committee-on-offshore-wind-energy-and-fisheries.