ICES Working Group on Marine Renewable Energy (WGMRE)

The Working Group on Marine Renewable Energy (WGMRE) coordinates the flow of science between certain working groups and its application in relation to offshore energy installations. WGMRE's remit includes correlating the science from groups on specialist topics such as seabirds, benthic ecology, and fish ecology and its application in planning, consenting and regulatory processes in relation to tidal (in-stream and barrage), wave and offshore wind energy. WGMRE aims to optimize the service the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) provides for applied scientific knowledge relating to management of these increasingly important and rapidly developing energy activities.

WGMRE provides information on the state of development of marine renewable energy and identifies future issues that will require environmental assessment. It also reports on consenting procedures and assessment methods, fosters work across scientific disciplines, and improves understanding across human activities, for example interactions with fishing. ​