This study addresses to what degree can we predict how the development of offshore wind (OSW) might alter the distribution of zooplankton, the major food source for migrating whales along the northeast coastline. The study highlights many of the difficulties and the need for localized field efforts sampling along a gradient inside and outside OSW fields or include “control” areas outside of OSW areas, before, during, and after construction. Monitoring should also include simultaneous physical and biological observations at both the turbine and wind farm area scale as well as repetition during variable oceanographic conditions.
Check out the paper at Saba, G.K. 2025. Zooplankton and Offshore Wind: Drifters in a Sea of Uncertainty. Oceanography, DOI: 10.5670/oceanog.2025.302.