Fishermen | EnBW

Our commitment to fisheries

EnBW is committed to creating dynamic and collaborative partnerships with the US fishing industry. We initiated early dialogue with the commercial and recreational fishing industry, even before obtaining a federal lease. Our engagement is based on transparency and respect, finding mutually beneficial ways to work together to share the opportunity out in shared waters. To guide our outreach, EnBW’s fisheries team has developed a Fisheries Communication Plan that outlines the steps we are taking to engage the fishing industry and fishing communities to inform our project development.

Read the plan

We want to hear from you

Open communication is vital for fishermen and the offshore wind industry to find workable, mutually beneficial solutions. To ensure that we involve you in our project planning and to stay informed on EnBW’s project development, please fill out our Fishing Community & Offshore Wind survey. All responses will remain confidential.

Take the survey

Our communication objectives

Utilize the decades of experience of commercial and recreational fishermen to inform EnBW decision-making throughout project planning and development.

Deploy consistent and dependable communication throughout all phases of the project to the commercial and recreational fishing industries, including all fisheries research and data.

Identify safety concerns and improve safety for the commercial and recreational fishermen who transit through and fish within the wind farm areas and along the cable routes to shore.

Commit to fund and utilize the best available science and data and ensure that any conflicts with the fishing industries have been wholly considered and any identified impacts alleviated wherever feasible.

Minimize conflicts and set a process for resolving differences among the fishing communities and EnBW’s offshore wind development and operations.

Enhance awareness of the BOEM offshore wind permitting process to emphasize the opportunities for engagement that the recreational and commercial fishing industries will have throughout project planning, permitting, and development.

Meet our fisheries liaison

Beth Casoni

Beth is a fishing community native from a family that includes commercial fishermen. In 2007, Beth joined the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association—the Bay State’s oldest and largest fishing industry organization—and she has served as its Executive Director since 2014. She also serves on the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team and several fisheries and seafood marketing boards, including the New England Marine Fisheries Herring and Habitat Advisory Panel and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Herring Advisory Panel. Beth was previously a member of the Massachusetts Ocean Advisory Commission, which contributed to development of the nation-leading Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan.

As Fisheries Liaison, Beth is the lead public outreach representative to the fishing industry for EnBW North America in federal waters off New York and New Jersey. She proactively engages with commercial and recreational fishermen to ensure early and frequent access to project information and planning. Beth is eager to connect with the fishing community and listen to all feedback, questions, and suggestions.

To reach Beth directly: b.casoni@enbw.com or 508.738.1245.

Frequently asked questions

What offshore wind projects is EnBW North America currently developing?

EnBW North America does not currently have an offshore wind lease area, but we are actively exploring project development opportunities on both coasts of the US, including in the New York Bight.

We are planning for initial projects that would become operational in the late 2020’s.

How is EnBW North America engaging and working together with the fisheries and maritime industries?

We appreciate the time and information shared from fishermen who have responded to our early communications and surveys – we recognize there are similar requests coming at you from other organizations. Although we don’t yet have an offshore wind lease, we understand the necessity and importance of engagement with the fishing and maritime industry. For over one year, we have been learning from and working with the industry to establish a regular and open line of communication that we will continue to build upon once we obtain a lease area.

More specifically, we welcomed a dedicated fisheries liaison in 2019, Beth Casoni. Beth has been supporting our team and thoughtfully shaping our communications and engagement with the fishing and maritime industries. To reach Beth directly: b.casoni@enbw.com or 508.738.1245. Or you can reach the entire fisheries team at fisheries@enbw.com.

To stay up to date and be included on future email communications about our fisheries engagement, sign up here.

How can the fisheries and maritime industries get involved in the process?

We encourage members of the fisheries and maritime industries to provide us early feedback through our online survey. And don’t forget – you have the opportunity to participate in federal and state public comment periods as well. We encourage your feedback through these mechanisms to help us better understand how to work together. Learn more here

Will fishing be allowed in the wind farm once construction is completed?

Yes. All types of fishing, including commercial and recreational, will be permitted within our offshore wind farm when construction is complete and the project is operational. We anticipate there will be temporary exclusion zones during offshore construction in the interest of safety. When the time comes, we will work closely to communicate with commercial and recreational vessel operators well in advance of installation activities related to any temporary exclusion zones.

Will vessels be able to transit through EnBW North America’s wind farms?

While we do not have an active project in development now, operational offshore projects in the US and around the world demonstrate the ability for vessels to transit safely near and through wind farms. EnBW North America is committed to working with local fishermen to understand their own experiences and thoughts for how to co-exist offshore.

Will there be contract opportunities for fishermen and vessel operators?

Yes. While EnBW does not hold an offshore lease yet, we are looking to incorporate the fishing community into our project wherever we can. This could include:

Acting as Fisheries Representatives.
Contracting fishing vessels to scout for potential gear conflicts before offshore surveys and to host offshore survey and data collection teams and equipment.
Hiring fishermen to work as onboard fishing liaisons during offshore surveys to further scout for potential conflicts and to communicate directly with other ocean users.

If you have other ideas on how fishermen and vessel operators can work with us, please reach out to our Fisheries Liaison Beth Casoni b.casoni@enbw.com, 508.738.1245 or the fisheries team at fisheries@enbw.com.

Will offshore wind need to comply with the Jones Act?

The US offshore wind industry supports and will comply with the Jones Act, which requires that US-flagged vessels transport merchandise, such as wind turbine blades, between two US “points.” A wind turbine component loaded in the US — one point — and transported to an offshore wind project — a second point — must be done on a US-flagged vessel. US-flagged vessels are built in the US, registered in the US, and primarily crewed by Americans.

Learn more about offshore wind and the Jones Act

What will happen to the project when it’s ready for decommissioning?

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) requires all projects to be removed at the end of their lifespan unless otherwise authorized. All BOEM offshore wind leaseholders are required to post financial security to cover the cost of decommissioning (including removal) as a condition of the lease.

Where can I find out more about offshore wind development?

To learn more about offshore wind projects on the East Coast, visit: