11.2). During the construction period, potential disturbance is expected to be localised, of relatively short duration and potentially reversible. Considering the relatively small area (2.68% of the East Anglia THREE project) directly affected and the intermittent and reversible nature of the effect, the magnitude of temporary sea bed disturbance during construction activities for the East Anglia THREE project is considered to be low.
76.
In the case of inter-array and offshore export cable installation, the proportional loss of habitat would be small, temporary and for the most part reversible. Therefore, the magnitude of effect for loss of habitat is considered to be negligible.
77. During the foundation installation phase, loss of habitat would be progressive leading up to that assessed for the operational phase in section 11.6.2.1 (i.e. minor).
11.6.1.1.1 Impacts on Fish, Shellfish, Eggs and larvae 78.
There is no apparent pathway for temporary physical disturbance/ loss of sea bed habitat to impact on pelagic eggs and larvae as this impact is only associated with the sea bed. Therefore impacts are not anticipated and they are therefore scoped out of the assessment. As such, the only receptors with the potential to be impacted are herring and sandeels by virtue of their substrate specificity for benthic spawning and habitat preference.
79.
In the case of herring, as shown by Figure 11.58 the proposed East Anglia THREE project does not overlap with spawning grounds as defined by Coull et al. (1998). The proposed East Anglia THREE project overlaps a minimal proportion of the sandeel grounds (as shown in black in Figure 11.56) within the SA1 (yellow in Figure 11.56) and SA2 (red in Figure 11.56) assessment areas. In the case of sandeels, due to their limited mobility, and in view of their ecological and conservation status and their overall spatial distribution throughout the North Sea, they are considered to be of medium sensitivity. Similarly, for herring, whilst they have greater mobility than sandeels, due to their spawning ground specificity medium sensitivity has also been assigned.
80.
Therefore for both herring and sandeels an impact of negligible significance would be expected for the inter-array and offshore export cable installation and minor adverse significance for other construction activities in the East Anglia THREE site.
81.
The eggs of the principal shellfish species in the East Anglia Zone, such as edible crab, and lobster, remain attached to the abdomen of ovigerous females until hatching. Egg-bearing edible crabs typically remain buried in sediment for periods ranging from four to nine months, depending on the species. The majority of shellfish have
Preliminary Environmental Information May 2014
East Anglia THREE Offshore Windfarm
Chapter 11 Fish and Shellfish Page 46
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