In October 2017, NCCOS scientists collected full coverage high-resolution multibeam bathymetry, backscatter intensity, and split-beam fishery acoustics data in the New York Wind Energy Area, a proposed offshore wind power site south of Long Island. Credit: NOAA.

In October 2017, NCCOS scientists aboard NOAA Ship Nancy Foster completed a ten-day acoustic seafloor mapping mission in the New York Wind Energy Area, a proposed offshore wind power site south of Long Island. The team is using data collected on the mission to characterize seafloor habitats, morphology, and topology, as well as fish distributions and abundance within the site. 

The survey satisfied a key part of the three-year agreement signed in 2016 with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for NCCOS to produce comprehensive seafloor substrate maps and model validation of the New York Bight region in support of alternative energy development. This year, work is underway at NCCOS to conduct optical ground-truthing surveys, substrate and grain-size characterization, and hard-bottom predictive modeling in the Wind Energy Area. Two cruises are planned to collect ground-truth data in April and September 2018.

Project partners include the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Office of Coast Survey, and private industry.