Emma Sheehan v3

7/29/2019 Emma Sheehan v3

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Biodiversity Impacts of

Wave HubDr Emma V. Sheehan

[email protected]

UOE: Matthew J. Witt, Stuart Bearhop

Annette C. Broderick, W. James Grecian, David HodgsonStephen C. Votier and Brendan J. GodleyUOP: Martin Attrill, Kerry Howell, Jason Hall-Spencer


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Summary of talk

PRIMaRE Environmental postdocs

Benthic baseline 09

Worked planned 10

Marine megafauna surveys


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Prior environmental knowledge

at Wave Hub

10 miles offshore

60 m deep

Reports of fishing

activity


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Benthic baseline survey

Slide text (left aligned, blue,font size 20-28)


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HD video mounted on a

flying array

Cost and time effective

Baseline survey to detectlarge scale impact

- 60 sites (200 m transect)

Baseline sites can now beincorporated into statutory

environmental assessment &monitoring for devicedevelopers.

Sites along cable route alsoestablished


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ROV - Sea eye Falcon

Less cost and timeeffective

Requires more specialised

research vessels to belaunched from

Skilful manoeuvring

Best way of filming the seabed near to WECs


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Sediment box cores

Infauna box cores collected insoft sediment areas

Future: BERR funding appliedfor to ensure 2 methods arequantifiably comparable

Seeking funding to continueannual benthic monitoring at theWave Hub site


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Marine megafauna

Integrated marine mammal surveying with

monthly seabird surveys[more frequent in Summer and Autumn]

Static passive acoustic detection systemdeployed at the Wave Hub site

Next year, towed acoustics potentially possible using

PAMs hardware [industry standard]

JNCC have released recommendations for civilengineering projects at sea

C-Pods

Diverse range of cetaceans exist in South-west waters likely effects of Wave Hub

difficult to anticipate.


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SeabirdsBoat surveying at the Wave Hub site

Monthly, year-round, surveying

departing from St. Ives

Use UoE MFV Ann Kathleen, 6-

8 hours on-water

Point counts made at Control

and Wave Hub sampling stations

Seabird density derived for

regions, by species and guild

[i.e. functional foraging group] Survey results disseminated

openly by PDF-Email


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SeabirdsBiotelemetry at regional breeding colonies

Isles of Scilly & Grassholm (Wales)

Biotelemetry of seabirdsusing:

1. GPS

2. Argos-Fastloc

3. Light geolocation

4. VHF

Lesserblack-backed

gulls

Foraging trips made by gannets from Grassholm

Potential effects of Wave Hub

may not be measurable at the

site fieldwork necessary at

regional colonies

Work lead by Dr Steve Votier

with James Grecian (UoP)


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Water-column, remote sensing & ambient

marine sound

1. How does ambient marine sound at the Wave

Hub and control regions change through time?what is the absolute intensity?

2. How does the soundscape of the region

change pre- and post- construction?

3. Can certain features of the soundscape be

linked to the presence/absence of marinemammals or change in behaviour?

Awaiting decision from PRIMaRE on funding for this

project. proposed equipment, deployment strategy and data processingmethods confirmed

Plankton monitoring with PML

Ambient marine sound


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Summary

Benthic baseline complete and boatsurveys for megavertebrates andbirds ongoingRDA has funded baseline projects to2010 in all areas: capital equipment &personnel

Seeking additional operationalfunding for ROV and baseline projectsSeeking more major longer-termfunding from 2010 to assess impact ofimplemented Wave Hub SZ

Can incorporate statutoryenvironmental assessment &monitoring (for device developers,DEFRA/RDA, BERR, etc.)

Sally Sharrock


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Posters on display

Integrated studies into the biodiversity impacts of theWave Hub

Linking offshore development with seabirdpopulations

Making space for Nature in Marine Engineering

AcknowledgementsSWRDA

HEFCEDEFRA

John Walker, Tim Stevens,

Documents

Emma Sheehan v3