ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT BARDOLINO DEVELOPMENT

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Bardolino Development Environmental Statement Reefs Annex I reef habitats are defined as "submarine, or exposed at low tide, rocky substrates and biogenic concretions, which arise from the seafloor in the sublittoral zone but may extend in to the littoral zone where there is an uninterrupted zonation of plant and animal communities”. These reefs generally support a zonation of benthic communities of algae and animal species including concretions, encrustations and corallogenic concretions" (EC, 2003). The UK has interpreted the habitat further to include bedrock, boulders and cobbles (generally >64mm in diameter), including those composed of soft rock, e.g. chalk. Aggregations of species that form a hard substratum (biogenic concretions) which enable an epibiotic community to develop are also considered in this habitat category. Reefs are very variable in form and in the communities that they support. Two main types of reef can be recognised; those where animal and plant communities develop on rock or stable boulders and cobbles, and those where structure is created by the animals themselves (biogenic reefs). Reef habitats occur offshore in the English Channel, Celtic Sea, Irish Sea, and to the west and north of Scotland extending far out into the North Atlantic (JNCC, 2002). Submerged sea caves Submerged or partially submerged sea caves are widely distributed in inshore waters, but no examples are currently known offshore (i.e. between 12 nm and 200 nm from the UK coast) (JNCC, 2002). Submarine structures made by leaking gases ‘Submarine structures made by leaking gases’ in Annex I are defined as "spectacular submarine complex structures, consisting of rocks, pavements and pillars up to 4 m high. These formations are due to the aggregation of sandstone by carbonate cement resulting from microbial oxidation of gas emissions, mainly methane. The methane most likely originated from the microbial decomposition of fossil plant materials. The formations are interspersed with gas vents that intermittently release gas. These formations shelter a highly diversified ecosystem with brightly coloured species" (EC, 2003). 'Marine columns' (the name of this habitat in the original Habitats Directive Annex I), such as those found in Danish waters (see Jensen et al., 1992), are not known to occur in UK waters. However, gas seep depressions (commonly referred to as 'pockmarks'), some of which have carbonate structures associated within them, do occur in UK waters. Therefore it remains to be determined whether those 'pockmarks' with carbonate structures fit within the Annex I habitat definition for ‘submarine structures made by leaking gases, and sites may be selected for this habitat type. However, if on further investigation the 'pockmarks' with carbonate structures are not deemed to be 'spectacular submarine complex structures', then this habitat will not be represented in UK offshore waters (JNCC, 2002). Pockmarks Pockmarks are shallow seabed depressions and they are generally formed in soft, finegrained seabed sediments (Judd, 2001). In the North Sea, pockmarks range from less than 0.5 m to approximately 20 m in depth, and from 1 m to more than 1,000 m in length. Most pockmarks are relict features but a few continue to leak natural gas and may contain carbonate structures (Methane Derived Authigenic Carbonate (MDAC)) which provide a habitat for encrusting and other surface-living seabed animals (DTI, 2001). Pockmarks alone are not considered to conform to any of the Annex I habitats, but the potentially important ‘submarine structures’ listed in Annex I are often associated with gas seeps and pockmarks. While MDAC concretions provide evidence of historical gas seeps, in the absence of bubbles or sulphate reducing bacterial mats they are not indicative of active gas seeps (Judd, 2001). Most North Sea pockmarks are shallow and currently inactive. Continuous or recent activity, with or without MDAC, is thought to be confined to unusually large pockmarks (Dando, 2001). Page 4-14 April 2008
Bardolino Development Environmental Statement In the North Sea the majority of pockmarks have been found in the sediments of the Witch Ground Formation (in the central/northern North Sea depression known as the Witch Ground Basin) and their equivalents, the Flags Formation (which occupies hollows in the northern North Sea plateau) (Judd, 2001). The proposed Bardolino development is located outside the Witch Ground and any known gas seep areas. The Scanner Pockmark (dSAC) in Block 15/25 and Braemar Pockmarks (dSAC) in Block 16/3 are located approximately 67 km and 146 km respectively from the proposed development site (DTI, 2001; JNCC, 2008; Figure 4.6). No pockmarks were identified during the anchor conditions survey (Gardline Geosurvey Limited 2007). Figure 4.6 Location of the proposed Bardolino development site in relation to gas seep areas, the Scanner Pockmark, and the Braemar Pockmarks 4.3.2 Annex II Species Annex II Species are defined as “species of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)”. There are four species listed on Annex II of the Habitats Directive known to occur in UK waters for which selection of offshore SACs will be considered; grey seal, common or harbour seal, bottlenose dolphin and harbour porpoise (Table 4.10). As with all marine mammals, the four species can be impacted by a number of effects associated with the activities of the offshore oil and gas industry, such as underwater noise, chemical contaminants, oil spills, and any effects on prey availability (SMRU, 2001). For the two seal species, coastal SACs have already been designated in the UK to protect breeding colonies and their moulting and haul-out sites. Two coastal SACs have been designated for bottlenose dolphins within UK territorial waters. The UK currently has no proposed SACs for harbour porpoise. The four species are typically wide-ranging, so it is difficult to identify specific areas which may be deemed essential to their life and reproduction, April 2008 Page 4-15
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13 th March 2008 Dear Sir or Madam,
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To: Paul Wood Shell U.K Limited, Se
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What risks to marine mammals do pil
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Noise propagation modelling. Noise
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If, for any reason, piling operatio
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APPPENDIX 1 MARINE MAMMAL RECORDING
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ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT BARDOLINO DEVELOPMENT

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