Acoustic Telemetry Monitoring of Highly Migratory Fish Species

The project initially began as a two-year pilot project awarded to INSPIRE by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), RIDEM, and BOEM. Fifteen acoustic receivers were deployed around popular recreational fishing areas within four of Orsted’s lease areas south of RI and MA. An initial sample of 60 acoustic transmitters were deployed on five different species, with the majority of transmitters placed on blue sharks, shortfin mako sharks, and bluefin tuna. The pilot phase of the project successfully demonstrated the use of acoustic telemetry as a tool to monitor HMS within and around the WEAs and highlighted the extensive movements of these species. With increasing involvement and funding from multiple offshore wind developers, both tagging efforts and receiver array coverage have increased dramatically in all lease areas within the southern New England WEA.

To date, INSPIRE scientists have contributed to the deployment of over 350 transmitters on 11 species of HMS which are being actively monitored by an array of at least 70 acoustic receivers positioned in nine lease areas with involvement from six offshore wind developers. Fish have demonstrated extensive movements within the WEAs and beyond with multiple fish returning to the area in multiple years. This is the first and largest regional fisheries monitoring effort for US offshore wind and monitoring is expected to continue through at least 2026.