A Framework for monitoring the socio-economic impacts of offshore wind energy development on fisheries and fishing communities

Abstract The increasing development of offshore wind energy creates challenges due to competing ocean usage. Given that offshore wind energy development (OWED) often overlaps with traditional fishing grounds, there is a need to establish a standardized process to monitor OWED impacts on socio-economic conditions. To that end, this paper proposes a standardized two-tiered project-level socio-economic monitoring framework. The monitoring framework focuses on OWED-specific risk factors (i.e. structure presence, vessel traffic, and port utilization) that significantly affect fisheries socio-economic conditions. The two tiers separate effects into direct (Tier 1) and indirect (Tier 2) impacts of OWED on commercial and recreational fishing. For example, the presence of structures (e.g, turbines) directly affects fishing vessels’ access to fishing grounds, which indirectly affects fisheries attributes such as where and how vessels conduct fishing activity. Consequently, this could affect costs and revenues. The structure employed in this paper allows for more effective prioritization of data collection since understanding the effects of the risk factors on Tier 1 elements is key for characterizing the effects of OWED on Tier 2 elements. The paper also recommends key indicators and assessment tools to evaluate changes in the fisheries socio-economic conditions throughout the lifespan of offshore wind projects. Future research should focus on operationalizing and testing this framework, taking into account specific contexts within the geographic area where monitoring occurs. Fishery socio-economic monitoring within the OWED context is needed to understand shifts in existing conditions, reduce conflict, and ensure that OWEDs respect and support fishery sustainability as well as the livelihood and dynamics within fishing communities.