Figure 2 Beam trawling operations during fish and shellfish survey campaign, courtesy of Fugro.
Function
Fish and shellfish surveys establish what species are present in the water column within the proposed wind farm site and surrounding areas. The resulting data is used to inform environmental impact analysis and reporting.
What it costs*
About £1 million for a 1 GW wind farm.
Who supplies them
Suppliers include ABPmer, APEM, Fugro, Gardline, Natural Power (Fred. Olsen) and Precision Marine.
Key facts
Beam trawls or otter trawls (dragging a net along the sea bed) are used to sample the species present in the area. In addition, other fishing methods such as lobster pots or gill nets can also be used on area where trawling cannot take place. Plankton nets can also be used for fish egg/larval studies (these are required).
Surveys are undertaken to characterise the species present in the area of the wind farm, but also to address specific questions such as whether fish are spawning in the area, should this be an issue for EIA.
Surveys can often be done using locally based fishing vessels, providing they reach safety standards. This approach offers the potential for good engagement with the local fishing community.
What’s in it
- Species identification and counting
- Laboratory analyses
- Impact models and reports