Vineyard Wind has appointed Crista Bank as Fisheries Liaison to lead the project’s regional engagement with fishing industry representatives on Cape and Islands, the South Coast, Rhode Island, and along the East Coast in the US.
“We’re pleased to have Crista lead our efforts to address the important questions the fishing industry have raised about the impacts of offshore wind development on the marine environment and on sea life,” said Erich Stephens , Chief Development Officer with Vineyard Wind.
“Crista will play a key role in ensuring that the first large-scale offshore wind project in the US helps establish a robust body of knowledge that will benefit the American offshore wind industry and the fishing community for decades to come.”
Bank most recently served as a fisheries biologist at the School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) at UMass Dartmouth, working on collaborative research projects with commercial fishermen.
Previously, she worked on the Schooner Ernestina, as well as onboard traditional sailing vessels across the world. She started her career teaching marine science at outdoor experiential education programs in New England, Southern California, and the Florida Keys.
Vineyard Wind recently entered into a collaborative agreement with the SMAST to assess fisheries, which is expected to further public understanding of offshore wind development impacts.
In May, the Vineyard Wind offshore wind project was selected as a preferred solution in the Massachusetts Green Communities Act Section 83C RFP for offshore wind energy projects.
Located some 14 miles off Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, the 800MW project is expected to enter the construction phase in 2019 and become operational by 2021.