Wind farm impact on marine-life
The Crown Estate is investing £12million in three research projects to help protect the UK marine environment from offshore wind farms.
Led by Natural England, the Scottish Government and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the projects will seek to understand how seabirds, marine mammals and fish respond to offshore wind farms, and identify evidence gaps and environmental issues.
So far 25 projects in the Offshore Wind Evidence and Change programme have been awarded funding, with three completed and 13 underway.
Dan Labbad, chief executive of The Crown Estate, said: “As we face the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change, protecting our natural world has never been more important. As managers of the seabed around England, Wales and Northern Ireland, we play a vital role in helping to safeguard our precious marine environment while shaping, innovating, informing and enabling the development of offshore wind for the long-term benefit of the nation.”
Jenna Hegarty, deputy director at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, said: “The threat to our seas has never been greater and decisions made in this decade will determine the future for species such as the puffin and kittiwake; identifying the most important places for wildlife and understanding the impacts of development is vital to ensure we make the best possible decisions for climate and nature.
“The outputs from this project will help to determine the locations of future windfarms and reduce the current challenges that face both the offshore wind industry and nature – a true collaboration for a sustainable and nature friendly net zero,” Hegarty said.