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Gimpel A, Werner KM, Bockelmann FD, Haslob H, Kloppmann M, Schaber M, Stelzenmüller V. Ecological effects of offshore wind farms on Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in the southern North Sea. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 878:162902. [PMID: 36934919 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Evaluating the ecological effects of the rapid expansion of offshore renewables at local, regional and ecosystem-wide scales is essential to understand the overall socio-ecological trade-offs also for other sectors such as fisheries. Hence, little is known about the ecological impact on demersal fish. To shed light on this topic, we studied the effects of an offshore wind farm in the southern North Sea on different life stages of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) using a combination of sampling methods at varying spatial and temporal scales. Our investigations of diet composition and trophic niches indicate that cod utilizes wind turbine piles with scour protection as feeding grounds. Furthermore, collected information on cod adults and early life stages during winter spawning season suggest that spawning activity occurred in winter across the wider wind farm area. We conclude that wind turbine foundations with a scour protection can function as artificial reefs that have local positive effects on the resilience of local cod populations. With our study we contribute to urgently needed observational evidence regarding the ecological impact of offshore wind farm installations to inform area-based management and future monitoring activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Gimpel
- Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Institute of Sea Fisheries, Herwigstraße 31, 27572 Bremerhaven, Germany; Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency, Department Management of the Sea, Divison Assessment and Monitoring, Section Ecosystem Analyses, Neptunallee 5, 18057 Rostock, Germany.
| | - K M Werner
- Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Institute of Sea Fisheries, Herwigstraße 31, 27572 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - F-D Bockelmann
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Institute for Carbon Cycles, Department of Applied Modelling and Quantitative Methods, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21481 Geesthacht, Germany
| | - H Haslob
- Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Institute of Sea Fisheries, Herwigstraße 31, 27572 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - M Kloppmann
- Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Institute of Sea Fisheries, Herwigstraße 31, 27572 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - M Schaber
- Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Institute of Sea Fisheries, Herwigstraße 31, 27572 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - V Stelzenmüller
- Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Institute of Sea Fisheries, Herwigstraße 31, 27572 Bremerhaven, Germany
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