U.S. Department of the Interior Appendix H MM S Minerals Management Service Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Assessment Appendix H Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Assessment Cape Wind Energy Project January 2009 Final EIS Cape Wind Energy Project Final EFH Assessment Minerals Management Service for Consultation with the NOAA Fisheries January 2009 U.S. Department of the Interior Appendix H MM S Minerals Management Service Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Assessment TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................1-1 2.0 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION ...................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 FACILITIES DESCRIPTION.................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 SUMMARY OF CONSTRUCTION METHODOLOGY ................................................................................. 2-1 2.3 SUMMARY OF OPERATION/MAINTENANCE METHODS ........................................................................ 2-2 2.4 SUMMARY OF DECOMMISSIONING METHODS ..................................................................................... 2-3 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT........................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT............................................................................................................... 3-4 4.0 FEDERALLY MANAGED SPECIES................................................................................................ 4-1 4.1 SPECIES WITH EFH DESIGNATION ...................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 LIFE HISTORY CHARACTERISTICS OF SPECIES WITH EFH DESIGNATION ............................................ 4-2 4.2.1 Demersal Species ..................................................................................................................... 4-3 4.2.1.1 ATLANTIC COD (Gadus morhua) .......................................................................................... 4-3 4.2.1.2 SCUP (Stenotomus chrysops) ............................................................................................... 4-3 4.2.1.3 BLACK SEA BASS (Centropristis striata) ............................................................................... 4-4 4.2.2 Demersal Groundfish Species .................................................................................................. 4-5 4.2.2.1 WINTER FLOUNDER (Pseudopleuronectes americanus)........................................................ 4-5 4.2.2.2 SUMMER FLOUNDER, OR FLUKE (Paralichthys dentatus)...................................................... 4-7 4.2.2.3 WINDOWPANE (Scophthalmus aquosus) .............................................................................. 4-9 4.2.2.4 YELLOWTAIL FLOUNDER (Limanda ferruginea) ................................................................. 4-10 4.2.3 Coastal Pelagic Species ......................................................................................................... 4-10 4.2.3.1 ATLANTIC BUTTERFISH (Peprilus triacanthus).................................................................... 4-10 4.2.3.2 ATLANTIC MACKEREL (Scomber scombrus) ...................................................................... 4-11 4.2.4 Coastal Migratory Pelagic Species........................................................................................ 4-12 4.2.4.1 BLUEFIN TUNA (Thunnus thynnus) .................................................................................... 4-13 4.2.4.2 KING MACKEREL (Scomberomorus cavalla) ...................................................................... 4-13 4.2.4.3 SPANISH MACKEREL (Scomberomorus maculatus) ............................................................ 4-14 4.2.4.4 COBIA (Rachycentron canadum)........................................................................................ 4-15 4.2.5 Sharks..................................................................................................................................... 4-15 4.2.5.1 BLUE SHARK (Prionace glauca).......................................................................................... 4-16 4.2.5.2 SHORTFIN MAKO SHARK (Isurus oxyrhinchus) ................................................................... 4-16 4.2.6 Skates ..................................................................................................................................... 4-16 4.2.6.1 LITTLE SKATE (Leucoraja erinacea) ................................................................................... 4-16 4.2.6.2 WINTER SKATE (Leucoraja ocellata) .................................................................................. 4-18 4.2.7 Invertebrates .......................................................................................................................... 4-19 4.2.7.1 LONG-FINNED SQUID (Loligo pealei).................................................................................. 4-19 4.2.7.2 SURF CLAM (Spisula solidissima)....................................................................................... 4-20 4.2.7.3 SHORT-FINNED SQUID (Illex illecebrosus).......................................................................... 4-20 5.0 ANALYSIS OF IMPACTS.................................................................................................................. 5-1 5.1 IMPACTS TO BENTHIC EFH................................................................................................................. 5-1 5.1.1 Permanent Impacts to Benthic EFH......................................................................................... 5-1 5.1.2 Temporary Impacts to Benthic EFH......................................................................................... 5-1 5.1.3 Temporary Impacts to Eelgrass Habitat in Lewis Bay............................................................. 5-4 5.1.4 Temporary Impacts to Submerged Aquatic Vegetation on Horseshoe Shoal........................... 5-4 5.1.5 Potential for Sediment Contamination of Benthic EFH ........................................................... 5-5 5.2 IMPACTS TO WATER COLUMN EFH.................................................................................................... 5-5 Cape Wind Energy Project i January 2009 Final EIS U.S. Department of the Interior Appendix H MM S Minerals Management Service Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Assessment 5.2.1 Impacts to EFH from Degraded Water Quality ....................................................................... 5-5 5.2.2 EFH Species Mortality/Injury/Displacement ........................................................................... 5-7 5.2.3 Potential Impacts from Impingement/Entrainment of Fish Eggs/Larvae from Vessel Water Withdrawals/Water Withdrawals Associated with Cable Jetting............................................. 5-8 5.2.4 Acoustical Impacts ................................................................................................................... 5-9 5.2.4.1 INTRODUCTION TO UNDERWATER ACOUSTICS ..................................................................... 5-9 5.2.4.2 HEARING THRESHOLDS FOR FISH ....................................................................................... 5-10 5.2.4.3 MONOPILE CONSTRUCTION ................................................................................................ 5-10 5.2.4.4 OTHER CONSTRUCTION SOUNDS ........................................................................................ 5-13 5.2.4.5 VESSEL SOUNDS................................................................................................................. 5-13 5.2.4.6 OPERATIONAL SOUND........................................................................................................ 5-13 5.3 REEF EFFECT .................................................................................................................................... 5-14 5.4 UNDERWATER ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD (EMF) ............................................................................ 5-16 5.5 ROTOR SHADOW EFFECT .................................................................................................................. 5-17 5.6 WATER FLOW, CURRENTS, WAVES, SEDIMENT TRANSPORT ............................................................ 5-17 5.7 IMPACTS OF SPILLS AND ACCIDENTAL RELEASES OF POTENTIAL CONTAMINANTS .......................... 5-18 5.8 SPECIES SPECIFIC IMPACTS............................................................................................................... 5-19 5.9 COMMERCIAL FISHING ..................................................................................................................... 5-19 6.0 MITIGATION ...................................................................................................................................... 6-1 7.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................................................................................................. 7-1 7.1 REPORT REFERENCES CITED............................................................................................................... 7-1 7.2 LITERATURE CITED ...........................................................................................................................