Abstract
As Japan accelerates offshore wind farm (OWF) development to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, it is crucial to understand the impacts of OWFs on local fisheries. To provide baseline data for the assessing these impacts on fisheries, we tracked the movements of Japanese spiny lobsters (Panulirus japonicus), a commercially important species, using acoustic telemetry in an area that was designated by the government as a promotion zone for OWF development. Acoustic tags were attached to 23 adult lobsters (CL = 97.9 ± 17.7 mm), which were then released in an isolated rocky reef frequently used by local fishermen as a lobster fishing ground. The tagged lobsters were detected within the reef for 7–97 (mean ± SD = 52 ± 29) days, with five individuals remaining within the reef > 90 days. The duration of home-area occupancy during which lobsters likely occupied the same or adjacent shelters within the reef ranged 2–42 (mean ± SD = 5.7 ± 5.8) days. Movement network analyses revealed that lobsters often relocated shelters both within and between habitat patches, with some traveling over 1-km per night to reach another patch. These findings suggest that if OWF structures function as new habitats for this species, the structures' introduction could alter the lobsters' spatial distribution and movement network. We believe that a comparative approach examining the space use of commercial species before and after OWF development is essential for determining the precise impacts of OWF introduction on local fisheries.