More research needed on impact of offshore turbines on seabirds – The Herald

David Ross
Highland Correspondent

An educational conservation charity is calling for further research to be
undertaken to ensure that the risks to puffins and other seabirds from
offshore wind farms are minimised.

It comes as a judicial review lodged by RSPB Scotland into the Scottish
Ministers’ decision to give the go ahead to four offshore windfarms off the
Firths of Forth and Tay begins tomorrow.

The legal challenge to the the Seagreen Alpha, Seagreen Bravo, Neart na
Gaoithe and Inch Cape developments is expected to last up to eight days.

But the Scottish Seabird Centre is concerned that insufficient research has
been undertaken into the estimated annual mortality of seabirds as a result
of the operation of the proposed wind farms.

It argues that the Firth of Forth is of international importance for
seabirds. The Bass Rock is the world’s largest colony of northern gannets
with over 75,000 occupied sites, and the Isle of May National Nature
Reserve is the largest puffin colony on the east coast with around 46,000
occupied burrows.

Some estimates suggest that over 2,500 seabirds, including puffins and
gannets, will be killed annually from being hit by the blades of the
turbines. Others estimates that seabird mortality will be much higher.

Tom Brock, Chief Executive of the centre, said there was a need for
renewable energy developments at appropriate locations. “However, we are
extremely concerned about the potential impacts that a development of this
scale, 335 large wind turbines, will have on the large number of
internationally important seabird colonies in the vicinity.”

He said key decisions were being made when there were significant knowledge
gaps.

“It is essential that relevant research is undertaken as a priority to
ensure that these important decisions are evidence-based and risks to
Scotland’s seabirds are minimised.”

Multi-award winning environmentalist, Jean-Michel Cousteau, the son of
ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, agrees.

He said: “For many of us who have dedicated our whole lives to protecting
our planet and seek solutions to deal with climate change and renewable
energy, we look for progress to make a difference for humans and all
species. But not all efforts are equally progressive.”

He said the wind farms off the Tay and Forth would come at the potential
expense of critical seabird populations. “This is not progress. It is not a
solution. It trades off one problem for another that is unacceptable.”