The authors note that the first recordings in Denmark of two amphipods, Jassa marmorata and Caprella mutica, were also made at offshore windfarm sites.
272. Potential non-native invasive species impacts are an emerging consideration for other proposed offshore developments including aquaculture, current, tidal or wave energy generation as well as the increasing number of mobile deep water drilling rigs and proposed floating production, storage and offloading facilities. Although ship ballast water appears to be the largest single vector for non-native marine species, bio-fouling communities on ships and petroleum platforms and the placement of human-made structures that provide new habitat are also identified as contributors (Glasby et al. 2007).
273. Under embedded mitigation EATL have committed to applying best-practice techniques including appropriate vessel maintenance as outlined in the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MarPOL). This would minimise the risk of the introduction of non-native species.
274. Given the required minimum distances between the wind turbines (675m between wind turbines in a row and 900m between rows) and potential scour protection material, it is not anticipated that the changes would constitute any form of linked reef-like feature. Allowing for this fact and the embedded mitigation the magnitude of the effect is considered to be low. The sensitivity of the existing environment is considered to be medium. The potential negative impact therefore of the provision of hard substrate acting as a vector for non-native species is considered to ofminor adverse significance.
10.6.2.6 Impact 6: Potential Impacts on Sites ofMarine Conservation Interest 275. A small area of the offshore cable corridor overlaps with approximately 120km2 of the Outer Thames SPA. The worst case scenario would be that the maximum amount of cable protection would be located within the overlapping section. The maximum percentage of cable protection within the SPA is 2.5% of the export cables. Therefore, an area up to 0.02km2 of cable protection could be placed within the SPA, this represents 0.014% of the area of overlap with the SPA and 0.0004% of the total SPA area.
276. The Outer Thames Estuary SPA is designated for red-throated divers which feed on mainly on fish but also on molluscs, crustaceans and polychaetes. Changes in the physical processes due to cable protection could lead to a change in population of molluscs, crustaceans and polychaetes within the effected part of the SPA. As red throated divers mainly feed on fish their sensitivity to changes in populations of benthic species is considered to be low.
Preliminary Environmental Information May 2014
East Anglia THREE Offshore Windfarm
Chapter 1 Introduction Page 80
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104