Short Science Summary 2024: Collision Risk

The presence of marine renewable energy (MRE) devices—particularly the rotating blades of tidal and river turbines—is thought to pose a risk to marine animals. Animals might come into close contact with turbine blades in the course of their natural movements, because they are attracted to the device for purposes of feeding, shelter, or out of curiosity, or because they are not strong enough to avoid currents that might sweep them into the blades. The concern is that a collision with moving device parts (e.g., turbine blades) or a moving device (e.g., tidal kite) could cause irrevocable injury or death. For animal populations that are under stress for other reasons, such as climate change or other human activities, the loss of even a few members due to collision might affect the survivability of the population. The greatest concerns are for marine mammals, fish, and diving seabirds.

This short science summary for Collision Risk was developed based on the OES-Environmental 2024 State of the Science Report: Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Development Around the World, specifically Chapter 3: Marine Renewable Energy: Stressor-Receptor Interactions.

Title	Author	Date Sort ascending	Content Type	Technology	Stressor	Receptor
Evaluation of Blade-Strike Models for Estimating the Biological Performance of Kaplan Turbines	Deng, Z., Carlson, T., Ploskey, G., Richmond, M., Dauble, D.	November 2007	Journal Article	Marine Energy, Riverine	Collision	Fish, Pelagic Fish
Collision Risks Between Marine Renewable Energy Devices and Mammals, Fish and Diving Birds	Wilson, B., Batty, R., Daunt, F., Carter, C.	March 2007	Report	Marine Energy	Collision	Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Efforts to Reduce Mortality to Hydroelectric Turbine-Passed Fish: Locating and Quantifying Damaging Shear Stresses	Cada, G., Loar, J., Garrison, L., Fisher, R., Neitzel, D.	February 2006	Journal Article	Marine Energy, Riverine	Collision	Fish
Evaluation of Blade-Strike Models for Estimating the Biological Performance of Large Kaplan Turbines	Deng, Z., Carlson, T., Ploskey, G., Richmond, M.	November 2005	Report	Marine Energy, Riverine	Collision	Fish, Pelagic Fish
Use of Pressure-Sensitive Film to Quantify Sources of Injury to Fish	Cada, G., Smith, J., Busey, J.	January 2005	Journal Article	Riverine, Marine Energy	Collision	Fish
Comparison of Blade-Strike Modeling Results with Empirical Data	Ploskey, G., Carlson, T.	March 2004	Report	Riverine, Marine Energy	Collision	Fish
Survival Estimates for Juvenile Fish Subjected to a Laboratory-Generated Shear Environment	Neitzel, D., Dauble, D., Cada, G., Richmond, M., Guensch, G., Mueller, R., Abernethy, C., Amidan, B.	January 2004	Journal Article	Marine Energy	Changes in Flow, Collision	Fish, Pelagic Fish
Evaluation of Fish-Injury Mechanisms During Exposure to a High-Velocity Jet	Guensch, G., Mueller, R., Dauble, D.	November 2002	Report	Marine Energy	Collision	Fish
Downstream Migration of Fish Through Dams of Hydroelectric Power Plants	Pavlov, D., Lupandin, A., Kostin, V.	January 1999	Book	Riverine, Marine Energy	Collision	Fish
Macrotidal Estuaries: A Region of Collision Between Migratory Marine Animals and Tidal Power Development	Dadswell, M., Rulifson, R.	January 1994	Journal Article	Marine Energy, Tidal	Collision	Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Marine Mammals
A Review of Studies Related to the Effects of Propeller-Type Turbine Passage on Fish Early Life Stages	Cada, G.	January 1990	Journal Article	Marine Energy, Riverine	Collision	Fish