Clam fishing vessels based in Atlantic City could experience up to 25% revenue loss as offshore wind energy develops along the U.S. Northeast and Mid-Atlantic coasts, according to two studies from Rutgers University.

The studies, which appear in the ICES Journal of Marine Science, determined Atlantic City was home to the most vulnerable fleets and associated processors. The location projected to be least affected by offshore wind farms was determined to be New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Researchers sought input from the region’s fishermen, fisheries managers and data from landings. The decline in total fleet revenue is projected to range from 3% to 15%, depending on the scale of offshore wind development and response of the fishing fleet.

The studies, funded by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, examined how offshore wind farms planned for the eastern United States could disrupt fishing of the Atlantic surf clam. A major economic driver for the region, it generates more than $30 million in direct annual revenue.

As of 2021, some 1.7 million acres of ocean have been leased for offshore renewable energy projects on the outer continental shelf. Atlantic surf clam vessels that fish these areas must operate within restricted lanes or in ways that may be less efficient than in unrestricted areas.