Join us for the next installment of our Ask an Expert offshore wind webinar series as we dive into how the fishing sector is shaping the future of offshore wind (OSW) development around the world.
For generations, the fishing industry has been the cornerstone of rural coastal communities. Its ability to co-exist with OSW is critical to growing the sector. In this session, you’ll gain firsthand insights into how fisheries engagement is being approached across different jurisdictions, and what’s working on the ground and at sea.
This dynamic session will feature two expert speakers offering perspectives from opposite sides of the Atlantic:
If you work in policy, development, fisheries, or community engagement, this session offers practical examples and lessons that can inform your approach to offshore wind and ocean co-use. We hope you’ll join the discussion.
Meet the Speakers 👇
Hannah MacDonald is the Fisheries Engagement Senior Program Manager at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI), where she leads GMRI’s fisheries engagement and offshore wind strategy across the Gulf of Maine. Her work ensures coastal and fishing communities are equipped to meaningfully shape offshore wind development through transparent, science-based, and locally grounded processes. She has led multi-state port visit campaigns, launched GMRI’s Offshore Wind Resource Hub, and is advancing coexistence strategies between floating offshore wind and fisheries through collaborative research. Hannah’s background includes science communication and policy work at NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, and her approach centers on building trusted relationships that bridge sectors and elevate community voices in fisheries management and ocean policy.
Michael Sutherland brings extensive, long-standing experience bridging the fisheries and offshore renewable energy sectors. He currently advises on fisheries engagement and marine strategy for offshore wind projects across Scotland, the UK, and several proposed floating and fixed wind farms. Notably, Michael played a key role in developing the Kincardine Floating Offshore Windfarm—a 50 MW project off northeast Scotland, operational since October 2021 and the world’s largest floating wind farm. From project inception, he guided KOWL on fisheries liaison, license conditions, and community engagement throughout installation and operation.
Previously, Michael spent 26 years as Director of Policy and Operations at the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF), the lead trade body for Scotland’s fishing industry. There, he shaped policy on submarine power cables and offshore renewables and established SFF Services Limited, providing guard vessels and fisheries liaison services to the offshore energy sector.
He has also participated in fisheries and offshore energy discussions in Yarmouth and Halifax, Nova Scotia, including around potential offshore oil and gas development in the Bay of Fundy.
