This notice is to inform you that Maine DMR and partners including the University of Maine, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute will be conducting surveys of the Maine Research Array Wind Energy (MeRA) Area. This may include: active acoustic surveys, plankton and larval lobster surveys, deployment of a passive acoustic receiver, deployment of acoustic telemetry receivers, and tagging of highly migratory species.
Survey schedules will be posted here on DMR's website as they are available.
A list of surveys which are scheduled to take place between July 2, 2025 and September 30, 2025 are below.
|
Survey Type |
Survey Goal |
Frequency |
Survey Equipment |
Vessel |
|
Active acoustic survey |
Monitor abundance of pelagic fish and invertebrates |
Up to 2 days/month |
Hull-mounted Simrad EK80 echosounder system |
|
|
Plankton and larval lobster survey
|
Monitor abundance of zooplankton and abundance and larval stage distribution of lobsters
|
Up to 2 days/month
|
Seabird 55 Rosette, SBE 25plus CTD, dual ring net, and neuston net
|
R/V Bowditch, 48’ catamaran, or R/V Maine, 42.3’ converted marine patrol vessel
|
|
Deployment of a passive acoustic receiver
|
Monitor baleen whale presence
|
One day during the three-month period
|
A bottom mounted SoundTrap ST600 HF acoustic recorder with a VR2AR acoustic release/receiver
|
Vessel to be determined
|
|
Deployment of acoustic telemetry receivers and tagging of highly migratory species
|
Monitor highly migratory species abundance and movement |
One day during the three-month period for receiver deployment and up to one day per week for tagging |
Bottom mounted VR2AR acoustic release/receivers; passive acoustic telemetry tags, popup satellite archival transmitting tags, and mark-and-recapture tags; fishing with rod and reel |
Vessel to be determined |
Please give the vessels the same considerations you would any active commercial fishing vessel, at least 100ft.
It is not anticipated at this time that DMR will have to ask for gear to be moved for these surveys.
If the surveys are unable to operate due to density of gear within the survey sites, DMR will send out additional notices providing details as to when gear would need to be moved.
- The point of contact for this project, and for lost gear, is Casey Yanos, (207) 350-7165, casey.yanos@maine.gov. If gear is lost, please contact Casey or your local Marine Patrol Officer.
Images of the research vessels are attached to this notice below.
These surveys are intended to provide baseline data that will be compared to data collected throughout the construction and operation phases of the Research Array. These surveys are being conducted in response to recommendations from Maine's Offshore Wind Roadmap's Fisheries Working Group. The surveys will help answer critical questions about the impacts of offshore wind development on fishing and the environment prior to commercial development.
Information on DMR’s role in offshore wind research can be found here.