Maine Fishermen’s Forum
Wind Energy Seminar

Agenda for Thursday, March 5

9:30 am – 9:45 am

Introduction and agenda

9:45 am – 11:15 am:

Fisheries and Offshore Wind in the Gulf of Maine

• Renewable energy goals:
      o What are our overall regional energy needs?
      o Maine’s (and New England’s) renewable energy goals.
      o Gulf of Maine wind resource, vs. land-based wind or other renewables.
      o Overview of current development status (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management task force, Maine Offshore Wind Initiative).

• Fisheries and wind co-existence:
      o Overview of fishery issues
      o New England Fishery Management Council’s role, perspective, andparticipation

• Floating technologies:
      o Construction.
      o Siting—installation, space occupied, mooring systems, fixed vs. floating turbines.
      o Cabling—likely points of landfall, dredging/routing issues, potential“backbones.”

• 15-minute Q&A

11:15 am – 11:30 am: Break

11:30 am – 1:00 pm:

What is coming and where can the fishing industry engage?

• What’s happening in Maine related to offshore wind?
      o Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Task Force:
         * Identifying the best ocean sites for wind energy platforms.
         * Coordination among states.
      o Maine’s Aqua Ventus project: status update, future plans.

• Permitting for Offshore Wind – State and federal:
      o Federal BOEM process:
         * How NMFS is engaged in consultation.
      o State Process:
         * State vs. federal waters:
• Aqua Ventus/Maine process, and how it differs from federal process.
• Cable routes from sea to shore – into Maine, or not into Maine.

• Progression of wind energy development in southern New England and the mid-Atlantic:
      o What is the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance?
      o What is happening in offshore wind to the south.
      o Impacts and concerns of fishermen in thoseregions.

• Role of Fisheries Liaisons.

• 15-minute Q&A

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm: Lunch

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: What can we learn from experiences in other areas?

• Several panelists will speak of their experience with wind energy projects and firms. They’ll relate the most important lessons, from a fisheries perspective, in how to engage in the development process.
• The last hour of this session will be a moderated Q&A for the audience to ask questions of any of the entire day’s panelists.