Abagold WEC BAR - Anchor Environmental

2. IMPACTS THAT MAY RESULT FROM THE PLANNING AND DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION,OPERATIONAL, DECOMMISSIONING AND CLOSURE PHASES AS WELL AS PROPOSEDMANAGEMENT OF IDENTIFIED IMPACTS AND PROPOSED MITIGATION MEASURESA. CONSTRUCTION PHASEA.1. POTENTIAL IMPACTS TO MARINE BIOTA: HABITAT DISTURBANCE (Alternatives 1 and 2)Nature of impact The construction of Alternatives 1 and 2 will result in severe disturbanceof the rocky intertidal and infratidal surfaces and associated macrofaunaand flora will probably experience high levels of mortality. The loss ofbiota within the footprint of the site was recognised as an impact duringthe project planning phase. The construction plans presented to AnchorEnvironmental Consultants by Abagold at the outset of the projectincluded a step to remove and relocate certain fauna from the footprintof the site as a means to reduce this impact. The intertidal rocky habitatadjacent to the proposed site is not particularly important in terms ofbiodiversity conservation for rocky intertidal biota. It is likely that rockyintertidal biota will re-establish in the WEC ponds and on the walls of theWECs. No mitigation measures have been identified for the threealternatives provided the applicant applies the proposed step to relocatemarine fauna.StatusExtentDurationIntensityProbability ofoccurrenceCumulative impactprior to mitigationSignificance prior tomitigationDegree to which impactcan be mitigatedProposed mitigationProbability ofoccurrence withmitigationCumulative impact withmitigationSignificance withmitigationNegativeLocalMedium termMediumDefiniteLowLOWNot possible or necessaryN/AN/AN/AN/A51