News Article

A pioneering aerial study into waterbird populations in key offshore wind farm development sectors has confirmed their large number and high diversity in areas that had previously been poorly understood.

This new information will inform offshore wind farm site applications so that they minimise the impact on the local environment. The data will also help government in meeting its EU obligation to monitor and protect seabirds.

Managed by the DTI with joint funding by industry and government, the research carried out by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) has greatly increased understanding of waterbird populations in the three areas that have been designated for the second round of offshore wind farm development.

The report provides results from the aerial surveys undertaken between October 2004 and September 2005. It contains numbers of seabirds and wildfowl encountered and maps showing the large-scale distribution of the species present in each of the three strategic wind farm areas, as well as comparisons between recorded numbers and previous surveys. The studies in these areas are continuing.

The impact of offshore wind farms on bird life is one of the areas highlighted by the cross government Research Advisory Group (RAG), chaired by the DTI. This group was established in 2004 to draw up a list of the potential environmental issues surrounding the round two offshore wind farms and underlines the commitment to minimising any harmful effects of developing renewable energy projects of this type.