Offshore Wind Power Projects in the Great Lakes - Ministry of ...

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Offshore wind power projects in the Great Lakes: Background information and science considerations for fish and fish habitat Knowledge gap What are the long-term effects from wind farms on fish population dynamics and recruitment? What are the cumulative effects of multiple wind power projects? How will wind power projects impact coastal engineering processes? To what extent will impacts from noise and other effects deter fish from utilizing turbine foundations as artificial reef habitat (e.g. to forage, spawn etc.)? What are the speciesspecific options for enhancing the habitat creation potential? Will the colonization of turbine structures by nonnative species negate the habitat creation potential of offshore wind farms? Priority Justification for level priority level Medium Affects fundamental aspects of fish populations and fisheries; however, difficult to study Medium Effects could be substantial depending on number of projects; however, difficult to study Medium Effects in marine systems have been minimal; however effects could be more significant in Great Lakes Medium Will determine habitat creation potential of turbine foundations Medium Will determine whether options exist to improve habitat creation potential of turbine foundations for desirable species Medium Will determine whether introduced hard substrates will be of overall net benefit or not Approaches for reducing uncertainty • Long-term before/after impact monitoring studies throughout project area • Predictive modeling • Before/after impact studies at multiple wind power projects • Predictive modeling • Before/after impact studies throughout area of impact • Small-scale pilot projects or installations • Monitoring of turbine foundations • Small-scale pilot projects or individual installations • Research at existing artificial reefs • Small-scale pilot projects or installations • Monitoring of turbine foundations • Research existing artificial reefs Challenges State of knowledge • Will need to monitor effects for many years • Will need to monitor effects for many years and examine impacts over a broad spatial scale • Broad spatial scale should be considered • Disentangling individual effects could be difficult • Long-term monitoring might be necessary • Cost of installation • Long-term monitoring might be necessary • Cost of installation • Site-specific details will be important • Disentangling from other effects, e.g. noise • Long-term monitoring required • Strongly dependant on local species pool • Almost nothing known • Almost nothing known • For most marine wind farms, effects have been minimal; however, Great Lakes could be different • Catch rates of some marine species were significantly reduced within immediate vicinity of operating turbines but were substantially higher when rotor was stopped • Nothing known within Great Lakes context • Some knowledge exists as to criteria for lake trout spawning habitat • Ongoing research into habitat restoration efforts including studies of several existing artificial reefs in the Great Lakes • The limited study of artificial reefs in the Great Lakes shows that fish still use reefs even when dreissenids present, with some costs • General impacts of most existing exotic species on spawning habitat of key species not known (independent of any wind farm related effects) Aquatic Research and Development Section 90
Offshore wind power projects in the Great Lakes: Background information and science considerations for fish and fish habitat Knowledge gap To what extent will wind power projects act as sanctuaries from fishing and promote the build-up of fish biomass within the protected area? Priority Justification for level priority level Low Benefits could be minimal if other impacts deter fish; longer-term study needed Approaches for reducing uncertainty • Before/after impact studies throughout project area and in reference areas • Predictive modeling Challenges State of knowledge • Longer-term study required • Site-specific details will be important • Marine reserves can enhance fish biomass and recruitment, with spill-over effects outside the reserve possible; however, it is not known whether wind power projects will be off-limits for fishing and have similar effects or whether fish will be deterred from the sanctuary due to other impacts Aquatic Research and Development Section 91
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Offshore Wind Power Projects in the Great Lakes - Ministry of ...

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