As part of Maine’s commitment to responsible offshore wind, Governor Mills established the Maine Offshore Wind Research Consortium in 2021 with bipartisan support to better understand the local and regional impacts of floating offshore wind power projects in the Gulf of Maine.
A 2023 update to that legislation (LD 1895) directs the Governor’s Energy Office (now DOER) to serve as the Consortium’s coordinating agency alongside the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) and the Department of Inland Fish and Wildlife (DIFW). The statute establishes an Advisory Board with representation from commercial and recreational fisheries, marine wildlife and habitats expertise, commercial offshore wind development expertise, and state agencies. Maine-based environmental NGOs, community representatives, and scientists from public and private research institutions are also represented to ensure a broad stakeholder perspective.
The Advisory Board is responsible for establishing a research strategy that at a minimum includes the following themes:
- Opportunities and challenges caused by the deployment of floating offshore wind projects to the existing uses of the Gulf of Maine;
- Methods to avoid and minimize the impact of floating offshore wind projects on ecosystems and existing uses of the Gulf of Maine; and
- Ways to realize cost efficiencies in the commercialization of floating offshore wind projects.
The Consortium’s Research Strategy, a document that will be updated regularly, can be found here.
The Maine Offshore Wind Research Consortium collaborates closely with other states and regional and national science and research partners. A full list of collaborators can be found in the drop-down menu below. For more information on the Research Consortium, please contact Meghan Suslovic: meghan.suslovic@maine.gov.
Ongoing Projects
- Social, Cultural, and Economic Baseline Impacts
-
This study will establish a baseline assessment of potential social, economic, and cultural impacts of floating offshore wind development on Maine’s fishing communities. This project is built on the previous Socioeconomic Baseline Inventory project also funded by the Research Consortium. The Gulf of Maine Research Institute is leading this study in partnership with researchers from the University of Maine and the University of Rhode Island. The project kicked off in fall 2025.
For more information on this project, please contact Meghan Suslovic: meghan.suslovic@maine.gov.
View project overview slides here.
- Secondary Entanglement Risk and Retrieval
-
Secondary entanglement is marine debris, such as ghost fishing gear, that becomes ensnared around floating offshore wind mooring lines and/or cables, with the potential to subsequently entangle marine wildlife. This project aims to understand the risk of secondary entanglement to marine wildlife in the Gulf of Maine and provide technical and regulatory recommendations for an effective secondary entanglement monitoring program. The University of Maine is leading this study which kicked off in fall 2025.
For more information on this project, please contact Meghan Suslovic: meghan.suslovic@maine.gov.
View project overview slides here.
- Baseline Offshore Bat Monitoring
-
Bats have been detected in coastal areas of the Gulf of Maine, but little is known about bat prevalence in the offshore environment. This study aims to improve understanding of bat species composition, abundance and distribution, and temporal patterns in the offshore areas of the Gulf, as well as influence of weather conditions on bats. Biodiversity Research Institute will lead this study in partnership with the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association and Bat Conservation International. The project kicked off in fall 2025.
For more information on this project, please contact Meghan Suslovic: meghan.suslovic@maine.gov.
View project overview slides here.
Completed Projects
- Maine Offshore Wind Data Portal
-
The Maine Offshore Wind Research Consortium supported the development of the Maine Offshore Wind Data Portal to make offshore wind data accessible to the public and researchers. The Portal compiles datasets from more than 60 data repositories and includes data resulting from the Maine Offshore Wind Research Consortium-funded projects. The Portal will grow over time as new data are collected and made accessible. Data and information sharing was a critical action identified through the 18-month Maine Offshore Wind Roadmap stakeholder engagement process and continues to be a priority of the Research Consortium.
- Expert Workshops
-
In April 2026, the Consortium hosted two expert workshops on priority topics identified by the Advisory Board. The goal of the first workshop, Forecasting Groundfish Species in the Gulf of Maine in Consideration of Changing Ocean Uses, was to develop a ranked list of potential projects ideas that could be funded by the Consortium to advance groundfish forecasting in the Gulf of Maine in consideration of floating offshore wind development. The workshop was attended by 23 participants who highlighted the need for baseline species distribution data while also identifying barriers to effective forecasting such as funding, coordination and data sharing amongst practitioners, and uncertainty regarding floating offshore wind design concepts.
The purpose of the second workshop, Oceanographic Modelling and Data Needs to Support Marine Life and Ecosystem Assessment in the Gulf of Maine, was to identify critical science and methodology gaps that must be addressed to develop effective oceanographic and hydrodynamic monitoring and modeling and ecological assessment frameworks in the Gulf of Maine. The workshop was attended by 34 participants who identified studies that would advance understanding of the oceanographic and hydrodynamic regime in the Gulf of Maine and species’ reliance on those characteristics for critical and other types of habitat.
- Groundfish workshop summary slides presented to the Consortium Advisory Board (PDF link)
- Final report summarizing the Oceanographic workshop (PDF link)
- Final report summarizing the Groundfish workshop (PDF link)
- Oceanographic workshop summary slides presented to the Consortium Advisory Board (PDF link)
For more information on the workshops, please contact Meghan Suslovic: meghan.suslovic@maine.gov.
- Seafloor Mapping
-
Using multibeam echosounder (MBES) sonar systems, this project collected 776 square nautical miles of high-priority seafloor data in poorly mapped areas in the general area (east, north, and west) of Platts Bank. These data aid in classifying marine habitats and understanding and minimizing the potential impacts of offshore wind development. The Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR), in collaboration with Maine fishermen, conducted this mapping through an MOU that leveraged existing resources from the DMR and the Maine Coast Mapping Initiative (MCMI). The project concluded in May 2026. More details and the results of this project can be found on the DMR's website, here. For more information, please contact Jesse Minor at DMR: jesse.minor@maine.gov.
- Socioeconomic Baseline Inventory
-
The goal of this study was to create a foundation to better understand potential positive and negative impacts of offshore wind development on Maine's fishing communities and produce recommendations on additional socioeconomic data needed to help assess potential impacts. Karp Strategies, in partnership with Dr. Alison Bates' lab at Colby College, conducted this research through a competitive RFP process. The project concluded in August 2024. Final deliverables include:
- Comprehensive inventory of existing socioeconomic data and metrics. To view the data inventory, please request so via email to doer@maine.gov with the subject line: "Data inventory request"
- Project summary slides presented to the Consortium Advisory Board (PDF link)
- Final report summarizing the project (PDF link)
For more information on this project, please contact Meghan Suslovic: meghan.suslovic@maine.gov.
- Fisheries Coexistence
-
This project investigated the extent to which fishing and floating offshore wind can coexist in the Gulf of Maine. The project team engaged with ocean users and other stakeholders to explore understandings, considerations, and definitions for marine coexistence, which includes co-use and interoperability. The scope included researching the compatibility of floating offshore wind technologies with fishing gear used in the Gulf of Maine and the regulatory and legal frameworks that may impact potential coexistence. ERM Consulting and Engineering, in partnership with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, conducted this research through a competitive RFP process. The project concluded in March 2025. Final deliverables include:
- Project summary slides presented to the Consortium Advisory Board (PDF link)
- Final report summarizing the project findings (PDF link)
For more information on this project, please contact Meghan Suslovic: meghan.suslovic@maine.gov.
Advisory Board and Steering Committee
- Goal
-
The Maine Offshore Wind Research Consortium aims to create a common understanding of the local and regional impacts (positive and negative) of floating offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine. The consortium may prioritize, scope, commission, and/or find collaborative partners to implement scientific studies on the ecological, technological, economic and social impacts to achieve this goal.
OBJECTIVES (based on Title 35-A, §3406):
- Explore opportunities and challenges that floating offshore wind poses to current and future uses in the Gulf of Maine, including how to best support co-existence with the fishing industry.
- Identify methods to avoid and minimize impacts on ecosystems and existing uses of the Gulf of Maine.
- Investigate ways to realize cost efficiencies in commercialization of offshore wind to reduce potential costs to ratepayers.
STRATEGIES TO ACHIEVE OBJECTIVES:
- Identify priority data gaps and research needs to achieve the above objectives, building off other initiatives.
- Share knowledge and promote joint learning about floating offshore wind technology, the Gulf of Maine ecosystem, and the current ocean users.
- Collaborate and partner with government entities and other organizations focused on floating offshore wind research and monitoring in the Gulf of Maine.
- Coordinate, support and leverage funds to commission research and monitoring.
- Promote communication and implementation of research results and data in a timely manner.
To view the Advisory Board and Steering Committee Terms of Reference, click here (PDF).
- Advisory Board Members
-
Twelve members of the Advisory Board are required through legislation (LD 1895). Additional categories of members have been identified to include expertise and advice from a wide range of perspectives and backgrounds. With the exception of those who are representing a specific industry per legislation, individuals represent their own expertise and not that of their affiliation. Advisory Board member biographies are available here (PDF).
Commercial and recreational harvesting interests
- Jack Cunningham, Maine Lobstering Union Local 207
- Ben Martens, Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association
- Terry Alexander*, F/V Jocka 22
- Mary Beth Tooley, O’Hara Corporation
- Chris Payne, Maine Lobstermen's Association
- Ryan Raber, F/V Ocean Spray Partnership
- Captain Ian J. Sawyer, Registered Maine Guide
*Advisory Board Co-Chair
State agencies
- Rebecca Peters, Maine Department of Marine Resources
- John Perry, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
- Stephanie Watson, Maine Department of Energy Resources
Tribal representatives
- Fred Moore, Pleasant Point Passamaquoddy Reservation
- Trevor White, Indian Township Passamaquoddy Reservation
- Jack Clark, Penobscot Nation
Scientists from private and public research institutions
- Alison Bates*, Colby College
- Damian Brady, University of Maine
- Wing Goodale, Biodiversity Research Institute
- Graham Sherwood, Gulf of Maine Research Institute
- Kanae Tokunaga, Gulf of Maine Research Institute
- Anthony Viselli, University of Maine
- Ann Zoidis, Tetra Tech
- Gayle Zydlewski, Maine Sea Grant
- Walt Musial, National Laboratory of the Rockies
*Advisory Board Co-Chair
Offshore wind industry experience
- Julian Fraize, ABB
- Laura Morse, JASCO
Coastal community representatives
- Jess Reilly-Moman, VHB
Maine-based environmental groups
- Sarah Haggerty, Maine Audubon
- Geoffrey Smith, The Nature Conservancy Maine
At-large
- Daniel Salerno, Fisheries Scientist, Limington, Maine
- Nathanael Kutz, Edison Chouest Offshore
- Brian LeFebvre, James Caird Maritime Solutions
- Grant Provost, Ironworkers Local 7 Maine
- Steering Committee Members
-
- Becca Betters, Department of Marine Resources
- John Perry, Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
- Stephanie Watson, Maine Department of Energy Resources
- Alison Bates*, Colby College
- Terry Alexander*, F/V Jocka
- Current Collaborators
-
State and Federal Entities
- MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and Mass Clean Energy Center
- NH Department of Environmental Services
- NH Fish and Game Department
- NY State Energy Research and Development Authority
- California Energy Commission
- US Fish & Wildlife Service
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- New England Fisheries Management Council
Regional Organizations
- Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative (RWSC)
- National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium (NOWRDC)
- Responsible Offshore Science Alliance (ROSA)
- Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA)
- Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS)