Overview of the effects of offshore wind farms on fisheries and aquaculture

Abstract:

The global shift to renewable energy, including large-scale development of offshore wind farms (OWFs), is well underway. This expansion will in certain places lead to increased coexistence and the potential for multiple uses of the space available for fishing and aquaculture activities, or to potential conflicts and restrictions for some fishing activities. Therefore, the overall objective of this study is to provide an overview of the state of knowledge on the existing and potential future effects of offshore wind farms (OWFs) on fisheries and aquaculture. A literature review on several aspects (ecology, management, legislation, socio-economics, stakeholders and governance) is executed, and complemented by stakeholder interviews and two case studies.

Sea Basin(s):

All sea basins

Country:

Belgium

Denmark

Year:

May 2021

Sectors:

Aquaculture

Fishery

Offshore renewable energy production

Type of Issue:

Coexistence of uses

Economic aspects

Social aspects

Stakeholders

Type of practice:

Guidance

Study

Stage of MSP cycle:

Analyse spatial aspects

Develop and implement plan

Coherence with other processes:

Common Fisheries Policy

Marine Strategy Framework Directive

Key words:

Source / Links:

Van Hoey, G., Bastardie, F., Birchenough, S., De Backer, A., Gill, A., de Koning, S., Hodgson, S., Mangi Chai, S., Steenbergen, J., Termeer, E., van den Burg, S., Hintzen, N., Overview of the effects of offshore wind farms on fisheries and aquaculture, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2021, p. 99.

Question this practice may help answer:

What are/could be the effects of offshore wind farms (OWF) on fisheries and aquaculture?

Implementation Context:

This study was developed in the context of the global shift to renewable energy in the EU.

Aspects / Objectives:

The overall objective of this study is to provide an overview of what is known in relation to the existing and potential future effects of OWFs on fisheries and aquaculture.

Method & results:

A literature review on several aspects (ecology, management, legislation, socio-economics, stakeholders and governance) has been undertaken, and complemented by stakeholder interviews and two case studies in Denmark (the Kriegers Flak OWF) and Belgium (Belgian OWF area).

The results of this study are described in part 5 of the paper with the different aspects studied, directly complementing the stakeholders’ views (from Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and UK) with ‘real-life’ examples from the case studies. This is followed by details of the main gaps remaining and recommendations on how to mitigate the effects of offshore wind farms on fisheries and aquaculture, based on the literature review.

Transferability:

The results of this study can be used in any analysis of MSP, sustainable blue economy strategies or implementation of EU offshore renewable energy strategies in the context of the European Green Deal.

Responsible Entity:

Lead partner Wageningen Marine Research (including Wageningen Economic Research)

Costs / Funding Source:

EASME/EMFF/2018/011 Lot 1: Specific Contract No. 03