Skip to main content

Marine Mammals

Breaching humpback whale
A broad term that encompasses cetaceans, pinnipeds, and others.

Marine mammals include pinnipeds (seals, sea lions), cetaceans (dolphins and whales), and sea otters. Because these organisms have fairly advanced cognitive abilities, it is fairly difficult to gauge how offshore renewable energy devices will affect marine mammals. Some of these organisms use echolocation to communicate and navigate themselves through the marine environment, which poses a concern as noise emitted from offshore renewable energy devices can have the potential to mask or hide echolocation of marine mammals. Some marine mammals also have very sensitive hearing, which makes these organisms vulnerable to loud noises generated underwater (i.e. pile driving/construction). With these issues in mind, the stressors that pose the greatest risks to marine mammals are collision, habitat change, and displacement, as well as noise.

Marine and Wind Energy Environmental Documents

Tethys is a knowledge hub that contains documents on the environmental effects of wind and marine energy. The table below contains all of the documents in the Tethys Knowledge Base associated with Marine Mammals.

Total: 1647

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Marine Renewable Energy: An Introduction to Environmental Effects OES-Environmental Summary Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
Underwater Noise Conflict Resolution: Framework Report Xodus Group Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Ornithological and Marine Mammal Baseline Characterisation Surveys for the POSEIDON project: July-September (Seasonal) Report – South-West Celtic Sea Young, S. Report Birds, Seabirds, Marine Mammals
Improving Decision Making In Relation to Offshore Wind Australian Marine Conservation Society, Australian Centre for Offshore Wind Energy, Biodiversity Council Australia Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Stakeholder Engagement
2024 West Coast Whale Entanglement Summary NOAA Fisheries Summary Entanglement Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Enhancing marine wildlife observations: the application of tethered balloon systems and advanced imaging sensors for sustainable marine energy development Amerson, A., Dexheimer, D. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Birds, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Improving decisionmaking in relation to offshore wind priority knowledge and decision support needs for Australia Australian Marine Conservation Society Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Entanglement, Noise, Vessel Strike Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
Offshore wind FAQs Australian Marine Conservation Society Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Challenges and Solutions for Offshore Wind Farm Cumulative Effects Assessments for Marine Mammals Sinclair, R. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Marine Mammals
Tidal Stream Energy Project: Collision Risk Data and Evidence Summary Phillips, E., Wren, S., King, G. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Avoidance, Collision, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Sustainability Assessment of an Oscillating Water Column During the Design, Installation, Operation, and Disassembly Phases Gallego-Ramírez, C., López-Mosquera, J., Chica, E. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wave Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries, Navigation, Recreation & Tourism, Social & Economic Data, Visual Impacts
North Sea I - offshore surveys of birds, bats and marine mammals USBL detection study Mikaelsen, M., Kyhn, L., Nørholm, S. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Bats, Birds, Marine Mammals
Assessing the potential acoustic impact of floating offshore wind farms in the Central Mediterranean Sea Baldachini, M., Pace, F., Buscaino, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Adrift in the California Current Survey: Passive Acoustic Monitoring in the California Current using Drifting Recorders Rankin, S., Burger, K., Hom-Weaver, C. Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Project Environmental Monitoring Plan: Kincardine Offshore WindFarm Project March 2025 Kincardine Offshore Wind Ltd, Broad Horizons Consulting Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Marine Mammals
ScotMER 7th Symposium 2025: Marine Mammals & Underwater Noise Marine Scotland Presentation Wind Energy Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds
Outlook on the development of eco-friendly offshore renewable energy technologies Sun, P., Jiang, Z., Chen, Y. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning
Guidance for Monitoring and Reporting of Underwater Noise Chumbinho, R. Report Marine Energy, Wind Energy Noise Ecosystem Processes, Marine Mammals
Setting a course for research on offshore wind development impacts near Nantucket Shoals Gawarkiewicz, G. Magazine Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment, Water Quality
Impact of offshore wind farms on the fauna of the Baltic Sea Cieślewicz, N., Pilarski, K., Pilarska, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals
Zooplankton and offshore wind: Drifters in a sea of uncertainty Saba, G. Magazine Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment, Water Quality
From Wind to Whales: Potential Hydrodynamic Impacts Of Offshore Wind Energy On Nantucket Shoals Regional Ecology Hofmann, E., Carpenter, J., Chen, Q. Journal Article Wind Energy Displacement, Habitat Change Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Harbour and grey seals: distribution maps for Scotland Carter, M., Bivins, M., Duck, C. Report Marine Mammals, Pinnipeds
Assessing the potential impacts of floating Offshore Wind Farms on policy-relevant species: A case study in the Gulf of Roses, NW Mediterranean Wawrzynkowski, P., Molins, C., Lloret, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Marine Mammals
Prediction of operating offshore wind farms underwater noise from reanalysis of single point underwater noise measurement Firjatullah, M., Brodjonegoro, I., Bakti, F. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Noise Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Updated Habitat-Based At-Sea Distribution Maps for Harbour and Grey Seals in Scotland Carter, M., Bivins, M., Duck, C. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Marine Mammals, Pinnipeds
Which is worse for wildlife, wind farms or oil drilling? Hardach, S. Magazine Article Wind Energy Attraction, Collision, Displacement, Noise Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals
Can aerodynamic noise from large offshore wind turbines affect marine life? Botero-Bolívar, L., Marino, O., de Frutos, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Bilan annuel 2024 des études environnementales sur le parc éolien en mer de Saint-Nazaire Parc éolien en mer de Saint-Nazaire Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality
Glider Surveillance for Near-Real-Time Detection and Spatial Management of North Atlantic Right Whales Indeck, K., Baumgartner, M., Lecavalier, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Entanglement, Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Environmental Effects of Offshore Wind Energy in the Gulf of Mexico: Compilation of Educational Research Briefs [Booklet] Severy, M., Farr, H., Richlen, M. Summary Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Evaluating Tools and Technologies for Monitoring Baleen Whales During Offshore Wind Foundation Installation Szesciorka, A., Severy, M., Ampela, K. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
The impact of wind farm construction on swimming animals in the South Yellow Sea: An evaluation based on the biodiversity and microplastics He, J., Song, K., Chang, Y. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Marine Mammals
Automated cetacean detection in UAV imagery using AI models: a case study on Delphinid species Canelas, J., Clementino, L., Cid, A. Journal Article Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
A Fuzzy Logic Technique for the Environmental Impact Assessment of Marine Renewable Energy Power Plants Flores, P., Mendoza, E. Journal Article Marine Energy, Ocean Current, OTEC, Tidal, Wave Attraction, Avoidance, Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Visual Impacts
Floating Offshore Wind Energy Infrastructure Nielsen, K., Robertson, B., Sierman, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Stakeholder Engagement
Seals exhibit localised avoidance of operational tidal turbines Montabaranom, J., Gillespie, D., Longden, E. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Avoidance, Collision Marine Mammals, Pinnipeds
Ornithological and Marine Mammal Baseline Characterisation Surveys for the POSEIDON project: January-March (Seasonal) Report – South-West Celtic Sea Young, S., Martin, L. Report Birds, Seabirds, Marine Mammals
Ornithological and Marine Mammal Baseline Characterisation Surveys for the POSEIDON project: October-December (Seasonal) Report – South-West Celtic Sea Young, S., Steinmetz, K., Davitt, V. Report Birds, Seabirds, Marine Mammals
Ornithological and Marine Mammal Baseline Characterisation Surveys for the POSEIDON project: April-June (Seasonal) Report – South-West Celtic Sea Young, S., Davitt, V. Report Birds, Seabirds, Marine Mammals

Displaying 81 - 120 of 1647 results