Short Science Summary 2020: Collision Risk

Fish

Potential for Animals to be Injured by Turbines: 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), a moving device (e.g., tidal kite), or perhaps the stationary part of a device (e.g., foundation) could cause irrevocable injury or death. For animal populations that are under stress for other reasons, such as climate change or other human activities, loss of even a few members due to collision might affect the survivability of the population. The greatest concerns are for marine mammals, especially those in protected or declining populations; commercially and recreationally important fish species; and endangered seabirds.

This Short Science Summary was developed based on the OES-Environmental 2020 State of the Science Report: Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Development Around the World, specifically Chapter 3: Collision Risk for Animals around Turbines. 

The table below contains the literature relevant to this summary document and will continue to be updated as new literature is added to Tethys.

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Diving Behaviour of Black Guillemots Cepphus grylle in the Pentland Firth, UK: Potential for Interactions with Tidal Stream Energy Developments Masden, E., Foster, S., Jackson, A. Journal Article Tidal, Marine Energy Collision Birds
Who Should be Afraid of a Tidal Turbine - The Good the Bad or the Ugly? Hammar, L., Ehnberg, J. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Fish, Pelagic Fish
Potential Effects of the Interaction Between Marine Mammals and Tidal Turbines - An Engineering and Biomechanical Analysis Carlson, T., Jepsen, R., Copping, A. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Assessment of Zooplankton Injury and Mortality Associated With Underwater Turbines for Tidal Energy Production Schlezinger, D., Taylor, C., Howes, B. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Ecosystem Processes
Tidal barrages in the UK: Ecological and social impacts, potential mitigation, and tools to support barrage planning Hooper, T., Austen, M. Journal Article Tidal, Marine Energy Collision Social & Economic Data, Human Dimensions, Ecosystem Processes
Stereo-Video Methodology for Quantitative Analysis of Fish-Turbine Interactions Hammar, L., Ehnberg, J., Eggertsen, L., Andersson, S., Molander, S. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Fish
Marine Animal Alert System Task 2.1.5.3 - Development of Monitoring Technologies Final Report Carlson, T., Deng, Z., Myers, J., Matzner, S., Copping, A. Report Tidal, Marine Energy Collision Marine Mammals
Assessing the Sensitivity of Seabird Populations to Adverse Effects from Tidal Stream Turbines and Wave Energy Devices Furness, R., Wade, H., Robbins, A., Masden, E. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Attraction, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
Annex I: Movements and Diving Behaviour of Juvenile Grey Seals in Areas of High Tidal Energy Thompson, D. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Marine Mammals, Pinnipeds
Building Capacity for Marine Hydrokinetic Energy: Atlas of Potential Synergistic and Conflicting Environmental, Ecological, and Human Use Considerations Dubbs, L., Voss, C., Von Korff, B., Morton, J., Peterson, C., Fegley, S., Piehler, M. Report Marine Energy, Ocean Current, Tidal, Wave Chemicals, Collision, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Human Dimensions
Sediment-Laden Ice Measurements and Observations, and Implications for Potential Interactions of Ice and Large Woody Debris with Tidal Turbines in Minas Passage Sanderson, B., Redden, A., Broome, J. Report Tidal, Marine Energy Collision Fish
Birds and Wave & Tidal Stream Energy: An Ecological Review McCluskie, A., Langston, R., Wilkinson, N. Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Raptors, Seabirds, Shorebirds
Developing Capabilities for Tidal Hydrokinetic Blade Strike Monitoring Polagye, B., Kramer, S., Parker-Stetter, S., Thomson, J. Presentation Marine Energy, Tidal Collision
Assessment of Risk to Marine Mammals from Underwater Marine Renewable Devices in Welsh Waters: Phase 1 - Desktop Review of Marine Mammals and Risks from Underwater Marine Renewable Devices in Welsh Waters Wilson, B., Gordon, J. Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement Marine Mammals
Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy (RITE) Environmental Assessment Project Adonizio, M., Smith, R. Report Tidal, Marine Energy Habitat Change, Collision Fish
Assessment of Risk to Diving Birds from Underwater Marine Renewable Devices in Welsh Waters: Phase 1 - Desktop Review of Birds in Welsh Waters and Preliminary Risk Assessment Loughrey, J., Austin, M., Sweeney, J., Robinson, C., Dewar, R. Report Wave, Tidal, Marine Energy Collision Waterfowl, Shorebirds, Seabirds, Birds
Assessment of Risk to Diving Birds from Underwater Marine Renewable Devices in Welsh Waters: Phase 2 - Field Methodologies and Site Assessments Robinson, C., Cook, G. Report Wave, Tidal, Marine Energy Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Waterfowl, Shorebirds, Seabirds, Birds
Assessment of Collision Risk for Seals and Tidal Stream Turbines Davies, I., Thompson, F. Report Tidal, Marine Energy Collision Pinnipeds, Marine Mammals
Marine Megavertebrates and Fishery Resources in the Nantucket Sound – Muskeget Channel Area: Assessing Impacts of Marine Renewable Energy Installations on Marine Megavertebrates - Recommendations for the Proposed Muskeget Channel Tidal Energy Project Leeney, R., Nichols, O., Sette, L., LaFond, S., Hughes, P. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Seabirds, Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Sea Turtles
The emergence of a new marine renewable energy industry – what are the implications for fisheries? Bell, M., Side, J., Kerr, S., Johnson, K., Baston, S., Bullen, C. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries
Collision Risk of Fish with Wave and Tidal Devices ABP Marine Environmental Research Ltd (ABPmer) Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Avoidance, Collision Fish
A review of the potential use of sonar to observe the underwater behaviour of diving birds near tidal energy devices RPS group Report Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Birds, Seabirds
Macrotidal Estuaries: A Region of Collision Between Migratory Marine Animals and Tidal Power Development Dadswell, M., Rulifson, R. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Marine Mammals
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