The responsibility of Western European coastal states for the conservation of two emblematic migratory seabirds in the context of offshore wind farms

Journal Article

Title: The responsibility of Western European coastal states for the conservation of two emblematic migratory seabirds in the context of offshore wind farms

Author:

Bernard, A.; Courbin, N.; Tornos, J.; Martin, T.; Lejeune, M.; Prudor, A.; Provost, P.; Lambrechts, A.; Gaskin, C.; Cabelguen, J.; Bécot, M.; Jiguet, F.; Grémillet, D.

Publication Date:

December 29, 2025

Journal:

Biological Conservation

Volume:

314

Issue:

111678

Affiliation

University of Montpellier, Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO), Office français de la biodiversité (OFB), Northern New Zealand Seabird Trust, Sorbonne University, University of Cape Town

Stressor:

Collision, Displacement

Receptor:

Birds, Seabirds

Language:

English

Document Access

Website:

External Link

Attachment:

Access File

Citation

APA
BibTex
RIS

Bernard, A.; Courbin, N.; Tornos, J.; Martin, T.; Lejeune, M.; Prudor, A.; Provost, P.; Lambrechts, A.; Gaskin, C.; Cabelguen, J.; Bécot, M.; Jiguet, F.; Grémillet, D. (2025). The responsibility of Western European coastal states for the conservation of two emblematic migratory seabirds in the context of offshore wind farms. Biological Conservation, 314(111678) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111678

@article{Bernard-2025-,
author = {Bernard, A and Courbin, N and Tornos, J and Martin, T and Lejeune, M and Prudor, A and Provost, P and Lambrechts, A and Gaskin, C and Cabelguen, J and Bécot, M and Jiguet, F and Grémillet, D},
title = {The responsibility of Western European coastal states for the conservation of two emblematic migratory seabirds in the context of offshore wind farms},
journal = {Biological Conservation},
year = {2025},
month = {dec},
volume = {314},
number = {111678},
doi = {10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111678},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320725007153},
keywords = {Collision, Displacement, Birds, Seabirds},
}

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TY - JOUR
TI - The responsibility of Western European coastal states for the conservation of two emblematic migratory seabirds in the context of offshore wind farms
AU - Bernard, A
AU - Courbin, N
AU - Tornos, J
AU - Martin, T
AU - Lejeune, M
AU - Prudor, A
AU - Provost, P
AU - Lambrechts, A
AU - Gaskin, C
AU - Cabelguen, J
AU - Bécot, M
AU - Jiguet, F
AU - Grémillet, D
T2 - Biological Conservation
AB - Studying fine-scale movements of seabirds during migration is logistically challenging, but GPS technologies allow accurate tracking of individuals on their migratory journeys. Such data provide essential information in the context of offshore wind farm (OWF) developments, notably to anticipate spatial OWF overlap with migratory corridors and main foraging areas used along the routes of vulnerable species. Using high-precision GPS-GSM tags, we investigated the end of summer, southbound migration of two emblematic seabirds of French waters: Juvenile and adult Northern gannets Morus bassanus, and adult Balearic shearwaters Puffinus mauretanicus. Both species travel along the Southwestern European coast, between the Bay of Biscay and Western Africa, or the Mediterranean Sea. Adult gannets thereby migrate through the EEZ of up to 10 countries, six for juvenile gannet, and four for shearwaters. Combining behavioural segmentation based on hidden Markov models and utilization distribution modelling, we found that between two and 6 % of migration routes overlapped with proposed OWFs, with similar impacts on transit and foraging/resting areas. Studied seabirds were most at risk within Portuguese compared to Spanish waters, as they flew closest to OWFs (<10 km on average). While massive OWF developments are being planned within Western European coastal areas, our study suggests that offshore developments should be set >22 km away from the coast, to preserve transnational seabird migratory corridors.
DA - 2025/12//
PY - 2025
VL - 314
IS - 111678
UR - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320725007153
DO - 10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111678
LA - English
KW - Collision
KW - Displacement
KW - Birds
KW - Seabirds
ER -

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Abstract

Studying fine-scale movements of seabirds during migration is logistically challenging, but GPS technologies allow accurate tracking of individuals on their migratory journeys. Such data provide essential information in the context of offshore wind farm (OWF) developments, notably to anticipate spatial OWF overlap with migratory corridors and main foraging areas used along the routes of vulnerable species. Using high-precision GPS-GSM tags, we investigated the end of summer, southbound migration of two emblematic seabirds of French waters: Juvenile and adult Northern gannets Morus bassanus, and adult Balearic shearwaters Puffinus mauretanicus. Both species travel along the Southwestern European coast, between the Bay of Biscay and Western Africa, or the Mediterranean Sea. Adult gannets thereby migrate through the EEZ of up to 10 countries, six for juvenile gannet, and four for shearwaters. Combining behavioural segmentation based on hidden Markov models and utilization distribution modelling, we found that between two and 6 % of migration routes overlapped with proposed OWFs, with similar impacts on transit and foraging/resting areas. Studied seabirds were most at risk within Portuguese compared to Spanish waters, as they flew closest to OWFs (<10 km on average). While massive OWF developments are being planned within Western European coastal areas, our study suggests that offshore developments should be set >22 km away from the coast, to preserve transnational seabird migratory corridors.