Environmental Statement - Maersk Oil

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3 ‐ 28 Balloch Field Development Environmental Statement Section 3 Baseline Environment cetaceans and the times of the year that they are likely to frequent areas of the North Sea. The atlas is based on a variety of data sources including: Sea surveys carried out by the JNCC; The UK Mammal Society Cetacean Group; Dedicated survey data collected in June and July 1994 by the Sea Mammal Research Unit at St Andrews University (SCANS ‐ Small Cetacean Abundance in the North Sea). Sightings of several species of cetacean have been recorded on the European continental shelf. However, in many instances within the North Sea the recorded sightings are associated with single individuals (Reid et al., 2003). Cetacean species sighted just once or in very low numbers in the North Sea include whales (sei, fin, pygmy sperm, Cuviers beaked, humpback and beaked) and dolphins (short beaked common dolphin, striped dolphin and Risso’s dolphins). Killer whales and long finned pilot whales have been sighted in higher numbers in the NNS, while large numbers of common bottlenose dolphins are to be found along the coastal regions of the UK (Reid et al., 2003). The CNS is home to relatively large numbers of minke whales, white‐beaked dolphins, Atlantic white‐ sided dolphins and harbour porpoises. A brief description of four key CNS cetacean species is provided in Table 3‐13. Table 3‐13 Overview of cetaceans found in high numbers in the offshore CNS area (Reid et al., 2003; JNCC, 2008). Species Description White‐sided dolphin Lagenorhynchus acutus White‐beaked dolphin Lagenorhynchus albirostris Minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata Harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena These dolphins show both seasonal and inter‐annual variability. Within the CNS they have been sighted in large pods of 10‐100 individuals. They can be sighted in the deep waters around the north of Scotland throughout the year and enter shallower continental waters of the North Sea in search of food. This species is usually found in water depths of 50 m to 100 m in pods of around 10 individuals, although larger pods of up to 500 animals have been sited. They are present in UK waters throughout the year, although more sightings have been made between June and October. Minke whales usually occur in water depths of 200 m or less and occur throughout the Northern and Central North Sea. They are usually sighted in pairs or in solitude, although feeding groups of up to 15 individuals have been recorded. Minke whales make seasonal migrations to the same feeding grounds. Harbour porpoises are frequently found throughout UK waters. They usually occur in groups of one to three individuals in shallow waters, although they have been sighted in larger groups and in deep water. It is not thought that this species migrates. When estimating population sizes of cetacean species within the North Sea (SMRU, 2008), the region was divided into several areas as shown in Figure 3‐16 (JNCC, 2008). The Balloch development is located within area T but is reasonably close to area V. Estimated abundance and densities (animals per km 2 ) of cetaceans within the development area based on shipboard surveys are provided in Table 3‐14. Harbour porpoise, minke whale, white‐sided and white‐beaked dolphins may occur in the development area, albeit in low numbers (SMRU, 2008).
Balloch Field Development Environmental Statement Section 3 Baseline Environment Figure 3‐16 Chart showing how the North Sea was divided up during the SCANS II survey. Table 3‐14 Animal densities (animals/km 2 ) within the development area (SMRU, 2008). Species Animal abundance Area T Area V Animal density (per km 2 ) Animal abundance Animal density (per km 2 ) Harbour porpoise 23,766 0.177 47,131 0.294 Minke whale 1,738 0.013 4,449 0.028 White‐beaked dolphin and white‐sided dolphins 1 12,627 0.094 6,460 0.04 1 The data for white‐beaked and white sided dolphin is combined due to difficulty in distinguishing the two species in the field. 3.7. SOCIO‐ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT The need for socio‐economic assessment comes directly from EIA regulations which require that all new projects consider both positive and negative socio‐economic impacts in terms of benefits to the local communities and the country, along with the potential interface with existing industries and communities. 3.7.1. FISHING ACTIVITY One of the main areas of potential adverse impacts associated with the development of the offshore oil and gas industry is in relation to fishing activities. Offshore structures have the potential to interfere with fishing activities as their physical presence may obstruct access to fishing grounds. Knowledge of fishing activities and location of major fishing grounds is therefore an important consideration when evaluating any potential environmental impacts from offshore developments. In terms of marine ecosystems, the International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES) is the primary source of scientific advice to the governments and international regulatory bodies that manage the North Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. For management purposes, ICES collates fisheries information for individual rectangles measuring 30 nm by 30 nm. Each ICES rectangle covers one half of one quadrant, i.e. 15 license blocks. The importance of an area to the fishing industry is 3 ‐ 29
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B ‐ 2 Halocarbon release during e
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Major accidental events Other envir
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Environmental Statement - Maersk Oil

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