Abstract
A goal of marine spatial planning is to aid in siting activities in areas that will minimize, to the extent possible, the cumulative impacts on resident species while maintaining the ecological and economic services derived from near-shore regions (Crowder & Norse 2008). A core challenge of developing a spatial management plan is the acquisition of knowledge concerning the distributions, population structures, interactions and trends of key species and communities (Foley et al. 2010). Some work addressing these knowledge gaps has been undertaken in the vicinity of the study area for this project, the Rhode Island/Massachusetts Wind Energy Area (RI/MA Lease Area) in Southern New England. Rhode Island’s Ocean Special Area Management Plan compiled the available knowledge of finfish, shellfish and fisheries in the offshore waters of RI (Olsen et al. 2014). Trawl surveys throughout Rhode Island Sound and Block Island Sound have begun to characterize fish populations (Malek et al. 2014), but spatial coverage is limited by the presence of fixed fishing gear, such as gillnets and lobster trawls, and the inaccessibility of rocky bottom. Consequently, the distribution and dynamics of the American lobster (Homarus americanus), one of the most valuable species in New England, is poorly understood (ASMFC 2009). With the leasing of areas for offshore wind-energy development, it is essential to evaluate the baseline status of the lobster population in the RI/MA Lease Area, to inform the siting of wind turbines within the lease area and to monitor the potential impacts of wind turbine construction.