VertIBase - Supporting evidence-based decision-making on marine vertebrate interactions with wave and tidal energy technologies

Ambitious plans for the large-scale deployment of wave and tidal energy are underway to meet carbon reduction targets, with the deployment of 1.6GW of generation planned for the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters (PFOW), and smaller deployments planned off the coast of Wales and Isle of Wight. In parallel, numerous wave and tidal energy technologies are under development by companies ranging from small embryonic SMEs to multinational engineering companies, whilst test sites, including the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) have been established, seabed leases awarded by the Crown Estate, and the deployment of the first, small scale, arrays of devices underway.

Amongst this race to develop technology and sites, concerns regarding potential interactions between wave and tidal energy devices/developments and marine mammals, seabirds and fish have emerged. These have formed the basis for the NERC/Defra Understanding How Marine Renewable Device Operations Influences Fine Scale Habitat Use and Behaviour of Marine Vertebrates (RESPONSE) (NE/J004251/1; NE/J000884/1). The study has provided new multi-disciplinary perspectives of the issue, from field studies investigating potential interactions, to the risk management challenges it poses across the wave and tidal sector.

The project will directly address the challenges associated with potential marine vertebrate interactions by translating the new emerging evidence and lessons learned from the RESPONSE, FLOWBEC and MREKEP risk and uncertainty study, to inform decision-making on this potentially significant risk to the development of the wave and tidal energy sector. Through direct engagement with a community of stakeholders, incorporating device and site developers, regulators, advisory bodies, NGOs and industry associations, the embedding of this evidence in site scoping, technology design, monitoring, mitigation and consenting processes will be a practical outcome of this work.

This project's potential beneficiaries includes wave and tidal energy technology/site developers, contractors and engineering companies, utilities, government, regulators, statutory nature conservation advisors, nature conservation bodies, environmental consultancy, investors, members of the public and communities. Impacts include:
Improved access to the latest knowledge on marine vertebrate interactions - will be of significant value to organisations from across the sector, reducing uncertainties, and supporting evidenced-based decision-making processes. This will clarify and aid the identification of actual hazards/risks.
Improved risk literacy - will be achieved by embedding fundamental risk and science concepts in the support material produced.
Cross-sector and discipline engagement - fostering engagement between organisations across the sector on marine vertebrate interaction issues. The project will trigger dialogue and change amongst organisations/individuals who may not have considered such issues (e.g. investors, engineers) and the environment sector/specialists who may not appreciate the potential business/engineering implications of their decisions/advice.
Improved awareness and risk management - improved consideration of potential marine vertebrate interaction risks throughout the project lifecycle, across the sector (e.g. contractors).
Improved site scoping and screening - will enable potentially inappropriate sites (e.g. with protected populations of seals) to be identified at an earlier stage than has been to-date, where deployments have been undertaken/planned in such areas, incurring project delays, costly mitigation measures and threatened the viability of companies.
Improved Environmental Statements - improved knowledge, scoping and screening will potentially result in improvements in the quality of Environmental Impact Assessments and Environmental Statements.
Effective and efficient monitoring technologies and strategies - the recommendations for improvements to existing monitoring techniques, particularly shore and boat based mammal observers, and the adoption of new monitoring technologies will improve the effectiveness of monitoring activities and reduce costs.
Development of new mitigation approaches - improved understanding of marine vertebrate interactions will enable future devices and deployments to be designed to 'engineer out' the potential risk of harm to marine vertebrates.
Improved evidence base - improving the currently uncertain evidence base on marine vertebrate interactions, supporting regulators and advisory bodies involved in consenting processes. This will aid objective and efficient decision-making, potentially reducing the potential risk of delays to developers.
Effective monitoring and mitigations conditions - the identification of effective monitoring and mitigation conditions in consents will be improved by the new information regarding monitoring strategies and marine vertebrate behaviour.
Wider benefits will be brought to society in the following areas:
Improved public and community awareness - the potential stakeholder and reputational risks associated with negative interactions between wave and tidal devices and marine vertebrates. Improving public and community awareness of issues including marine vertebrate behaviour around devices, and addressing potential misconceptions represents a key future challenge, and one that this project should help to address.
Economic growth - the deployment of wave and tidal energy is viewed as a crucial driver of economic growth. Marine vertebrate interactions are viewed as requiring careful management as they represent a potential barrier to deployment and investment.
Improved investor confidence - reducing uncertainties and project risks will help to raise investor confidence and help to retain the UK's lead in this field.