Shetland Tidal Array Monitoring Report: Land based bird and mammal surveys

Smith, K. (2022). Shetland Tidal Array Monitoring Report: Land based bird and mammal surveys (Report No. EnFAIT-0394). Report by Nova Innovation. Report for Scottish Government.

@techreport{Smith-2022-2080626,
author = {Smith, K},
title = {Shetland Tidal Array Monitoring Report: Land based bird and mammal surveys},
institution = {Nova Innovation},
year = {2022},
month = {dec},
number = {EnFAIT-0394},
url = {https://marine.gov.scot/sites/default/files/enfait-0394_land-based_surveys_report_v2.0.pdf},
keywords = {Marine Energy, Tidal, Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Birds, Seabirds, Waterfowl, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds},
}

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TY - RPRT
TI - Shetland Tidal Array Monitoring Report: Land based bird and mammal surveys
AU - Smith, K
AB - Nova Innovation’s ongoing programme of environmental monitoring for the Shetland Tidal Array in Bluemull Sound comprises the following two key components:Land-based diving bird and marine mammal observation surveys in Bluemull Sound.Subsea monitoring using turbine-mounted optical video cameras.Combined, these methods gather data to understand the likely nature and consequences of any nearfield interactions between turbines in the array and marine wildlife, with a focus on mammals and diving birds.This report presents the results from land-based bird and mammal surveys carried out at the project site between March 2020 and 2022. A second report presents the results from analyses of subsea video footage gathered from turbine-mounted cameras during the same period (Nova Innovation, 2022a).Data from 144 hours of land-based surveys are presented in this report, spanning the two-year reporting period and comprising seventy-two 2-hour surveys carried out from a vantage point on the Ness of Cullivoe overlooking the project site. Each 2-hour survey gathered data on the presence, occupancy patterns and behaviour of diving birds and marine mammals in the Shetland Tidal Array area using the following methods:Snapshot scans to count and identify all marine mammals and diving birds in the survey area.Focal watches of individual birds to observe and record their behaviour in the survey area more closely.This report focusses on analysis of the scan data gathered during the 2020 to 2022 land-based surveys. Detailed modelling and analysis of the corresponding focal watch data was carried out by a postgraduate student working with Nova Innovation, supervised by Dr James Waggitt at Bangor University. The results are detailed in a separate report (Holmes, 2022). In addition, further analysis of data gathered during Nova’s land-based surveys in Bluemull Sound between 2010 and 2019 has been carried out by a second postgraduate student also working with Nova, supervised by Dr Waggitt. These results are also presented in a separate report (Brown, 2021).Key findings from the focal watches (Holmes, 2022), further analysis of Nova’s land-based surveys conducted from 2010 to 2019 (Brown, 2021) and subsea video monitoring (Nova Innovation 2022a) are integrated into the discussion section of this report. Combined, they facilitate interpretation of the observed patterns and drivers of fine-scale movements and occupancy patterns of birds and mammals in the Shetland Tidal Array area. This enables an evidence-based approach to assessing the likelihood that diving birds and marine mammals might interact with turbines in the Shetland Tidal Array, and key influencing factors. This has enabled new insights into impact risk for the different species, further building on learning since the commencement of the monitoring programme in November 2010.
DA - 2022/12//
PY - 2022
SP - 26
PB - Nova Innovation
SN - EnFAIT-0394
UR - https://marine.gov.scot/sites/default/files/enfait-0394_land-based_surveys_report_v2.0.pdf
LA - English
KW - Marine Energy
KW - Tidal
KW - Attraction
KW - Avoidance
KW - Collision
KW - Birds
KW - Seabirds
KW - Waterfowl
KW - Marine Mammals
KW - Cetaceans
KW - Pinnipeds
ER -

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Abstract

Nova Innovation’s ongoing programme of environmental monitoring for the Shetland Tidal Array in Bluemull Sound comprises the following two key components:

Land-based diving bird and marine mammal observation surveys in Bluemull Sound.
Subsea monitoring using turbine-mounted optical video cameras.

Combined, these methods gather data to understand the likely nature and consequences of any nearfield interactions between turbines in the array and marine wildlife, with a focus on mammals and diving birds.

This report presents the results from land-based bird and mammal surveys carried out at the project site between March 2020 and 2022. A second report presents the results from analyses of subsea video footage gathered from turbine-mounted cameras during the same period (Nova Innovation, 2022a).

Data from 144 hours of land-based surveys are presented in this report, spanning the two-year reporting period and comprising seventy-two 2-hour surveys carried out from a vantage point on the Ness of Cullivoe overlooking the project site. Each 2-hour survey gathered data on the presence, occupancy patterns and behaviour of diving birds and marine mammals in the Shetland Tidal Array area using the following methods:

Snapshot scans to count and identify all marine mammals and diving birds in the survey area.
Focal watches of individual birds to observe and record their behaviour in the survey area more closely.

This report focusses on analysis of the scan data gathered during the 2020 to 2022 land-based surveys. Detailed modelling and analysis of the corresponding focal watch data was carried out by a postgraduate student working with Nova Innovation, supervised by Dr James Waggitt at Bangor University. The results are detailed in a separate report (Holmes, 2022). In addition, further analysis of data gathered during Nova’s land-based surveys in Bluemull Sound between 2010 and 2019 has been carried out by a second postgraduate student also working with Nova, supervised by Dr Waggitt. These results are also presented in a separate report (Brown, 2021).

Key findings from the focal watches (Holmes, 2022), further analysis of Nova’s land-based surveys conducted from 2010 to 2019 (Brown, 2021) and subsea video monitoring (Nova Innovation 2022a) are integrated into the discussion section of this report. Combined, they facilitate interpretation of the observed patterns and drivers of fine-scale movements and occupancy patterns of birds and mammals in the Shetland Tidal Array area. This enables an evidence-based approach to assessing the likelihood that diving birds and marine mammals might interact with turbines in the Shetland Tidal Array, and key influencing factors. This has enabled new insights into impact risk for the different species, further building on learning since the commencement of the monitoring programme in November 2010.