Review of reef effects of offshore wind farm structures
and potential for enhancement and mitigation
As the construction of wind farms moves
further offshore, it is desirable to optimize both social and
economic benefits for local communities. The potential of wind farm
sites to enhance local finfish, shellfish and seaweed aquaculture
or harvesting through appropriate utilization of natural ecosystem
phenomena combined with novel facility design has already engaged
both commercial and conservation interests. It remains to be
determined whether there is genuine and significant potential to
meet the different user group needs.
The wind farm developers have concerns
regarding conflicts with maintenance activities, health and safety
etc. and fisheries interests have understandable concerns regarding
mitigation of loss of access to resources whilst the conservation
sector have a eye on whether there may be, at certain well defined
locations, potential to mitigate habitat damage or losses and/or to
restore damaged of coastal ecosystems. Consequently, until these
options are systematically evaluated, there is little point in
attempting to win over the developers or fishermen to consider the
idea seriously.
PML Applications worked with Plymouth Marine
Laboratory (PML), the Scottish Association for Marine Science
(SAMS) and further collaborators, to inform the debate regarding
the likely reefs effects on finfish, shellfish and other marine
biota occurring as result of the physical presence of wind farm
structures and the potential to enhance this effect for commercial
benefit.
