Offshore wind: Fishing
The construction, development and use of offshore wind farms can potentially have an adverse effect on fish and shellfish resources, including spawning, overwintering, nursery and feeding grounds and migratory pathways. The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), a principal source of advice to government on marine environmental issues, believes that wind farming will not affect fish stocks as a whole. However, individual developments may have an impact on fish and shellfish at particular locations.
The scale of any impact is assessed as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), undertaken in consultation with the fishing industry and the Sea Fisheries Inspectorate, which is part of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
During the consenting process, it is determined whether permission for an offshore development that will disrupt fishing can be granted and, further, whether measures should be taken to mitigate this disruption.
Fishing objections may be raised against a marine generation proposal. If there is a sustained objection by fishermen to a particular wind farm development, the Government will consider both wind energy interests and the fishing industry’s interests.
The Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR) has established the Fishing Liaison with Offshore Wind (FLOW) Group to encourage open dialogue between the fishing industry and the wind energy sector, and to foster closer relations between them.
FLOW’s first project was to produce best practice guidelines to make developers aware of the need for early communication with the fishing industry.
Further work is being taken forward to identify fishing activities that can take place safely alongside wind farm developments.
BERR's Research Advisory Group will also be commissioning various fishing-related studies.
You can find more information on FLOW and the Research Advisory Group here.