Saving Seafood

ROSA Announces Hiring of First Executive Director

February 27, 2020 — The following was released by the Responsible Offshore Science Alliance:

Dr. Lyndie Hice-Dunton has been selected to lead the Responsible Offshore Science Alliance (ROSA) by ROSA’s board of directors.  Dr. Hice-Dunton officially assumed the role of Executive Director on February 10, 2020.

ROSA is an unprecedented partnership formed by fishermen and offshore wind leaders, in collaboration with federal and state management experts to enhance scientific understanding necessary to support the coexistence of wind energy development and sustainable fisheries. Formed in early 2019, ROSA will provide for and advance regional research and monitoring of fisheries and offshore wind interactions in US state and federal waters through coordination and cooperation.

“We are so enthusiastic for Lyndie’s leadership of ROSA and look forward to working collaboratively with the Fishing Industry, Offshore Wind Developers, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as we continue to build this exciting organization,” said Peter Hughes, Co-Chair of ROSA’s Board of Directors.  

“Dr. Hice-Dunton brings valuable organizing experience to her new role that will help ROSA bring together important stakeholders in a sustainable future for the ocean,” said Rachel Pachter, Co-Chair of ROSA’s Board of Directors. “We are thrilled to be moving forward and rolling up our sleeves on ROSA’s important mission of science, collaboration, and communication.”

Read the full release here

ROSA Executive Director Position Announcement

October 9, 2019 — The following was released by the Responsible Offshore Science Alliance:

The Responsible Offshore Science Alliance (ROSA) seeks a strong leader with deep knowledge of marine resource science and management and excellent administrative and organizational skills to serve as its first Executive Director. ROSA is a new collaborative effort involving the fishing and offshore wind energy industries, federal and state government partners, and the ocean science community. Its goal is “To provide for and advance regional research and monitoring of fisheries and offshore wind interactions in federal waters through collaboration and cooperation in order to: (1) Increase salient and credible data on fisheries and wind development; and (2) Increase the understanding of the effects of wind energy development on fisheries and the ocean ecosystems on which they depend.”

The application and interview process will be conducted in October and November 2019 with a target decision date of November 22, 2019 and a target start date of the successful candidate in December 1, 2019. The position’s location is flexible but must be within the Northeast or Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S.A. ROSA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director (ED) will have overall strategic, financial and operational responsibility for ROSA’s implementation, growth, staff, programs, and execution of its mission. She or he will initially organize the Executive Council and other committees and in concern with them, refine ROSA’s institutional governance and operations structure.

Read the full release here

NEFMC Hosts Offshore Wind Session; Discusses EBFM, eVTRs, RSA Program

April 30, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council met April 16-18, 2019 in Mystic, CT and capped off its meeting with a Special Session on Offshore Wind in the Northeast Region. The session was organized and hosted by the Council to give Council members and stakeholders the opportunity to learn more about:

  • The total scope of planned offshore wind energy development in the region with emphasis on projects off New England and New York;
  • The players involved and their roles in the process with an emphasis on NOAA Fisheries consultations with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM);
  • Research and monitoring issues, including current federal, state, and developer-funded efforts, implications for the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s fishery independent surveys, and regional coordination initiatives through the newly formed Responsible Offshore Science Alliance (ROSA); and
  • Updates on the timing and status of specific Northeast Region projects.

Read the full release here

In Northeast, more research needed on offshore wind’s impact on fishing

April 17, 2019 — As plans for wind farms across New England’s waters progress, fishermen continue to express concerns about the impact of the burgeoning offshore wind industry on their livelihoods.

And while wind development is moving rapidly, scientific research on the impacts on fisheries has struggled to keep up.

But the tides may soon be turning, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the fishing industry, offshore wind developers, and government agencies.

Last week, the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance announced a new initiative to advance regional research on fisheries and offshore wind called the Responsible Offshore Science Alliance.

Read the full story at Energy News Network

Power of science: Alliance will call for fisheries-focused wind power research

April 11, 2019 — As wind energy initiatives blow across the bows of commercial fishing fleets on both U.S. coasts, stakeholders have noted the dearth of data on the effects of wind power in federal waters. Enter ROSA, the Responsible Offshore Science Alliance, which launched this week to fill the need for a collaborative regional science body to address fisheries and wind development. ROSA’s goal is to advance regional research and monitoring of fisheries and offshore wind interactions in federal waters.

“So much is poorly understood regarding the impacts of large-scale offshore wind energy development to fisheries and fish stocks, and studies that have been performed lack regional coordination,” says Annie Hawkins, executive director of the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance, which launched the new alliance. “This forum will be immensely helpful to the fishing industry so that it may provide leadership in study prioritization, methodology and execution through cooperative research.”

ROSA will bring together representatives of the maritime trades, offshore wind power developers, NMFS and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. RODA aims to create forums for dialogue on behalf of the fishing industry and is pushing to make sure fishermen are involved with the new organization as it begins to gain traction.

“America’s offshore wind energy future is dependent on scientists, fishermen and energy officials uniting under a common goal: safeguarding our invaluable marine resources,” said NMFS Director Chris Oliver, in support of the alliance. “NOAA Fisheries is pleased to be a part of this scientific endeavor to ensure our fisheries and fishing communities continue to thrive.”

ROSA’s initial focus will be on offshore wind development and fisheries from
the Gulf of Maine to North Carolina, but will be structured to address issues in other regions as wind power development expands in the United States.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Responsible Offshore Science Alliance forms to advance regional research on fisheries and offshore wind

April 8, 2019 — The following was released by the Responsible Offshore Science Alliance:

Today, the Responsible Offshore Science Alliance (ROSA) launches.

After many years of discussion and recognition of the need for a regional science body to address fisheries and wind development, ROSA has formed. It will provide for and advance regional research and monitoring of fisheries and offshore wind interactions in federal waters. It is a collaborative effort among fishing industry representatives, offshore wind developers, and state and federal government agencies.

ROSA’s goals are to collect and disseminate salient and credible data on fisheries and wind development, and to increase the understanding of the effects and potential impacts of wind energy development on fisheries and the ocean ecosystems on which they depend. It will further seek to address broader aspects of the ocean environment that offshore fisheries and wind energy activities occupy, including pre-facility baseline activity and resource status, ecosystem-based fishery management, socioeconomic effects, cumulative impacts, and other relevant science. It will be structured with an Executive Council, Research Council, and topic-and geographic specific subcommittees comprised of scientific and technical experts of diverse affiliations.

The Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) was a key partner in forming ROSA, and will ensure continual, comprehensive fishing industry representation in ROSA’s efforts.

“So much is poorly understood regarding the impacts of large-scale offshore wind energy development to fisheries and fish stocks, and studies that have been performed lack regional coordination,” said Annie Hawkins, Executive Director of RODA. “This forum will be immensely helpful to the fishing industry so that it may provide leadership in study prioritization, methodology, and execution through cooperative research.”

NOAA Fisheries supports the development of a regional science and monitoring framework through ROSA. As the federal agency charged with stewardship of living marine resources, including fisheries and associated fishing communities, NOAA also has an interest in the responsible planning, siting, and evaluation of offshore wind power activities. “America’s offshore wind energy future is dependent on scientists, fishermen, and energy officials uniting under a common goal: safeguarding our invaluable marine resources,” said Chris Oliver, Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “NOAA Fisheries is pleased to be a part of this scientific endeavor to ensure our fisheries and fishing communities continue to thrive.”

Several developers including EDF Renewables, Ørsted, Shell New Energies, and Equinor Wind US have expressed support for ROSA.

“ROSA’s research and monitoring efforts will provide a collaborative approach to science in order to facilitate successful dialogue between the growing offshore wind industry and our long-standing fishing community,” said CEO of Ørsted U.S. Offshore Wind and President of Ørsted North America Thomas Brostrøm. “As the first offshore wind developer to partner with RODA, Ørsted believes in the need to strengthen dialogue in the communities where we work and deepen our understanding of the marine environment down the North American East Coast.”

“EDF Renewables is in full support of efforts to deepen the understanding of the effects of offshore wind development,” said Chris Hart, Head of U.S. Offshore Wind for EDF Renewables. “The ocean ecosystem and fisheries are of paramount importance as we move forward to build an energy industry in our oceans. ROSA, through a research-based approach will provide credible data to inform decisions and importantly the research will be cooperative bringing together the various stakeholders along with scientific and technical experts.”

“Offshore wind is one of the newest and fastest growing industries within the U.S., and as projects progress, it will be important to understand any potential cumulative impacts to ensure offshore wind projects effectively co-exist with the marine environment,” said John Hartnett, Shell Business Opportunity Manager for U.S. offshore wind. “We believe this collaboration with some of the industry’s key players will help to bolster research and monitoring efforts, which will ultimately allow us to make more informed decisions as we seek to responsibly develop our projects.”

ROSA’s funding is derived from annual contributors, including wind energy lease holders, with support from federal and state partners and other contributors interested in advancing ROSA’s mission. More information about ROSA can be found here. To inquire about becoming a ROSA supporter, please contact: info@rodafisheries.org.