Our Work

Leading regional research to inform decision-making at the intersection of offshore wind and fisheries

Regional Leadership on Science

The Responsible Offshore Science Alliance (ROSA) collaborates with fishermen, offshore wind energy developers, fisheries scientists, federal and state management experts, and others to:

  • Identify regional research and monitoring needs.
  • Coordinate existing research and monitoring.
  • Advance understanding through collaboration, partnerships, and cooperative research.
  • Administer research.
  • Improve access to scientific data.
  • Share learnings.

Visit the Leadership page to learn about staff and governing body roles and responsibilities in executing ROSA’s work.

To learn more about projects under way, read our work plan, visit the Advisory Council Priorities and Meetings page, Advisory Council Committee Projects page, and Research Advisor Projects page.

Trawl
Man Working on Fishing Boat

Research Priorities

ROSA staff and the advisory council worked together to define short-term research priorities, which serve as the North Star for ROSA’s agenda:

  • Data sharing and compatibility to enable data integration into regional studies.
  • Regional framework that guides funders and others in prioritizing research.
  • Standardization of sampling gear for monitoring and baseline data collection.
  • Incorporation of fishermen’s ecological knowledge into research studies.

Progress To Date

Since ROSA’s inception in 2019, we have been laying the groundwork for effective regional science: defining research priorities, creating tools, and developing the structures to enable collaboration. Key initiatives have included:

  • Establishing the advisory council and research advisors.
  • Outlining short-term research priorities.
  • Generating the Offshore Wind Project Monitoring Guidance and Framework, which outlines fundamental elements to include in monitoring plans.
  • Engaging closely with fishermen on gear standardization for offshore wind monitoring surveys.
  • Undertaking the Fisheries Resource Data Project to better understand types of fisheries research data being collected, sampling gear and monitoring methods being used, and gaps that need to be addressed.
  • Developing a regional research framework that will help prioritize research and direct resources toward key research questions.
  • Partnering with others regionally, nationally, and internationally.
Sunset with Wind Turbines

Collaborative Engagement

ROSA’s executive director and research director are working closely with organizations, agencies, and thought leaders who are involved in science related to the potential impacts of offshore wind on fisheries. These engagements include:

Regional Initiatives

Symposia and Meetings Co-Hosted by ROSA