Abstract
Dutch government policy aims at realising sustainable energy production in the Netherlands. One possibility explored is offshore wind power. As an initiative, the government has given permission for the construction of a Wind Farm (formerly called NSW, now OWEZ: Offshore Wind farm Egmond aan Zee) as a demonstration project, used for assessing both technological and environmental challenges in relation to construction and operation. In order to evaluate environmental impacts from an offshore wind farm it is necessary to carry out a baseline or T0 study, which provides a thorough description of the ecological reference (present) situation. The Nuon-Shell consortium “NoordzeeWind” exploiting the wind farm has procured a baseline study on the North Sea situation for the seals. The study was carried out in the autumn and winter of 2005/2006 and reported (OWEZ_R_252_T0_20061010 marine mammals.pdf). The wind farm was built between April 2006 and December 2006. Now that the wind farm is operational, a T1 study on the seals has been conducted in 2007. This interim report presents an overview of the procured results of the work executed in 2007. Analysis will continue in 2008. The final report will include a final habitat model for harbour seals in the Dutch coastal waters.
This study includes a description of the spatial distribution, activity and migration of harbour seals that haul out both north of the OWEZ area (Wadden Sea) and south of it (Delta area). Seal activity and habitat use is measured by tagging harbour seals enabling to follow the animals on their trips at sea and measure diving activity.