Do wind turbines impact on seabirds or other marine life?
Any activity in the marine space has the potential to impact on seabirds and other marine life. Offshore wind at scale is in its infancy in Irish waters however there is over 20 years of experience in other European countries to draw upon. The project will be designed to minimise the impact on wildlife and will follow international best practice established through years of post-development monitoring, observations and other research. The development will be subject to a full Environmental Impact Assessment and Appropriate Assessment as it progresses through the planning process and Simply Blue Group will implement any mitigation measures that have been proven to be effective where there is a real risk to the environment.
Studies suggest that offshore wind farms may act as artificial reefs and marine protected areas, increasing fish and shellfish abundance, and in turn prey availability*.
*Kingsley, A. & Whittam, B. (2005). Wind Turbines and Birds: A Background Review for Environmental Assessment. Bird Studies Canada, Environment Canada, Quebec.
Hunt, W. & Jessopp, M. (2019). Impacts from Offshore Wind Farms on Marine Mammals and Fish – A review of the current knowledge, EirWind Project Deliverable D4.13 Report, MaREI Centre, ERI, University College Cork, Ireland. DOI: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3948460