Abstract
The potential risk of injury and/or disturbance to marine mammals during construction of offshore renewable energy developments has been identified as a key consenting risk for projects in UK waters. Possible consequences of exposure to underwater noise from piling include disturbance that could cause marine mammals to either move away or change behaviour or suffer temporary and permanent hearing damage.
This report outlines work taken to update the Interim Population Consequences of Disturbance framework (iPCoD) model to improve understanding of the effect of renewable energy installations on harbour porpoises.