Integration of Multiple Data Types to Document Spatial Effort in a Recreational Fishery for Highly Migratory Species in Relation to Offshore Wind Development

ABSTRACT The expansion of offshore wind interests in US waters has raised concern over potential adverse impacts to fisheries activity and productivity. Yet evidence‐based platforms for assessing those impacts are lacking for many recreational fisheries. We demonstrate how data from a federal fishery survey (Large Pelagics Intercept Survey [LPIS]), cooperative tagging programs, and the direct survey of recreational fishermen can be used to characterize the spatial extent of baseline (pre‐construction) effort in a recreational fishery that targets highly migratory fishes (HMS) in US territorial waters of the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean. To document the location of effort, LPIS catch data and tag, release, and recapture (CTR) records from four cooperative tagging programs were independently aggregated onto a grid of offshore wind lease blocks. An online survey of recreational fishermen was also executed to assess the spatial extent of effort in relation to a Draft Call Area (DCA) in the Gulf of Maine region. Collectively, the LPIS and CTR data described widespread recreational fishing effort for HMS, including within and around the majority of existing and planned offshore wind lease areas. Responses to the online survey revealed more widespread effort within the Gulf of Maine DCA than both the LPIS and CTR data, but some respondents may have overrepresented true levels of fishing effort. Our results demonstrate the need for multiple data types to comprehensively assess offshore wind impacts on the recreational HMS fishery and to inform marine spatial planning in regions into which offshore wind energy development may be expanded.