Abstract
The objective of the De Rijke Noordzee programme is to enhance nature in the North Sea. The construction of wind farms at sea offers opportunities to combine these with nature development. The programme focuses on a number of indicator species, biogenic reef builders and indicator species for good ecological functioning. Biogenic reef builders include Lanice conchilega, Sabellaria sp., mussels and oysters. Indicator species for the development of the North Sea system are predators such as rays and cod, large crustaceans and squids. The enhancement of the North Sea nature can be well realized, when the occurrence of the mentioned organisms is stimulated. It is expected that most of the nature gains can be realized around the hard substrates of the scour protection as they are deposited around the monopiles.
Much attention is paid to the choice of the right substrate on which organisms in general and flat oysters in particular can attach. In addition, prior to projects aimed at nature enhancement, research is conducted around OWFs to determine whether flat oysters and other target organisms remain alive under local conditions. Structures have been developed and special research cages designed for carrying out such studies. Since February 2021, De Rijke Noordzee has deployed some of such structures and cages at the North Sea Farmers Offshore Test Site, about 12 kilometres off the coast near Scheveningen. De Rijke Noordzee wishes to have the developments around the research cages and artificial reefs investigated with the help of divers, two years after deployment. This report describes the outcome of a field inspection as performed on the 3th and 4th of April 2023 by the diving team and ecologists of Bureau Waardenburg.