Abstract
The Netherlands Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, Directorate-General for Water Affairs has asked TNO to identify and work with suitable European partners towards the development of standards for the measurement of underwater sound, with a primary focus on acoustic monitoring in relation to the environmental impact of off-shore wind farms. The purpose of this report is to provide an agreed terminology and conceptual definitions for use in the measurement procedures for monitoring of underwater noise, including that associated with wind farm construction. A measurement and reporting procedure for monitoring wind farm construction noise is addressed in a companion report “Standard for measurement and monitoring of underwater noise, Part II: procedures for measuring underwater noise in connection with offshore wind farm licensing”.