Abstract
This document provides biodiversity monitoring guidance for offshore wind energy developments. Four principles should be kept in mind during the development and implementation of monitoring strategies for biodiversity around offshore wind farms.
- Principle 1: Key stakeholders should be engaged in planning and implementing biodiversity monitoring.
- Principle 2: Monitoring methods should be based on the indicators being measured and the questions being asked.
measured and the ques4ons being asked. - Principle 3: Invest in and build capacity where it is most needed.
- Principle 4: Data should be shared and made freely and openly accessible to others.
Key steps required to develop and implement biodiversity monitoring strategies around offshore wind farms are then explained.
- Step 1: Define the scope and the spatial and temporal scales for the monitoring strategy.
- Step 2: Identify target taxa and habitats for monitoring, to focus on those species most impacted by offshore wind development or associated Nature-Positive action.
• Step 3: Develop the key elements of a monitoring plan, which include:- Indicators
- Methods and data sources.
- Defining timing and frequency.
- Roles and responsibilities.
- Survey design considerations.
- Minimum monitoring requirements are also explained for marine birds, bats, marine mammals, fish and seabed communities.
- Step 4: Manage, share and analyse data.
- Step 5: Use data.
The guidance ends by discussing key issues to address in the future. There is a need to fill key knowledge gaps and to enhance regional and sectoral collaboration on standardising monitoring protocols and data collection formats to facilitate data sharing and results-based decision-making. Annexes provide links to key resources and tools for biodiversity monitoring, including tools for developing biodiversity indicators and monitoring plans, and data sources of potential use in monitoring; case studies related to monitoring in offshore wind farms; and key references.