TY - RPRT
TI - Statutory Nature Conservation Agency Protocol for Minimising the Risk of Injury to Marine Mammals from Piling Noise
AU - Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC)
AB - This document, which has been produced by Natural England, the Countryside Council for Wales and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, outlines a protocol for the mitigation of potential underwater noise impacts arising from pile driving during offshore wind farm construction. This protocol may also be useful to other industries in the marine environment which use pile driving. The agencies recommend that all operations that include pile driving should consider producing an Environmental Management Plan (EMP), or an equivalent document that meets the requirements of the relevant regulator.The nature conservation agencies' policies support appropriately sited offshore renewable energy developments because they can provide environmental benefits to species of conservation concern, including marine mammals, by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating adverse climate change impacts. However, these developments can adversely affect species and features of conservation importance, including those protected by European and domestic Law. Mitigation of such impacts forms an intrinsic part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process required as part of the consenting process for offshore windfarms.The installation of driven piles in the marine environment without mitigation is likely to produce noise levels capable of causing injury and disturbance to marine mammals. Such effects, although incidental to consented activities, have the potential to conflict with the legislative provisions of The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (the 'Habitats Regulations', HR), which applies to English and Welsh waters inside 12 nautical miles (nm), and the Offshore Marine Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 2007 (the 'Offshore Marine Regulations', OMR, as amended 2009 and 2010), which apply on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf.JNCC, NE and CCW have produced guidance on 'the protection of marine European protected species from injury and disturbance'. The piling protocol forms part of that more general guidance and the recommendations should be considered as 'best practice' for piling operations.JNCC notes that other protected fauna, for example turtles, occur in waters where these guidelines may be used, and would suggest that, whilst the appropriate mitigation may require further investigation, the protocols recommended for marine mammals would also be appropriate for marine turtles and basking sharks.Scientific understanding of the issues discussed in this piling protocol is incomplete, but improving. It is therefore important to note that the piling protocol is not considered to be static policy and will be subject to regular revision following on from experience of its use, and the development of a better understanding of the efficacy of certain mitigation measures recommended in the protocol.Pile driving in the marine environment without mitigation is likely to produce noise levels capable of inducing adverse avoidance reactions at a considerable distance from the activity, which could constitute disturbance under the Regulations (HR and OMR depending on the area). Pile driving is also likely to cause injuries (e.g. hearing impairment) and there remains the possibility of causing death in marine mammals that are in very close proximity.This protocol does not document measures to mitigate disturbance effects, but has been developed to reduce to negligible levels the potential risk of injury or death to marine mammals in close proximity to piling operations.If the risk of disturbance cannot be avoided or reduced to negligible levels, the developers need to obtain a licence under regulations 53/49 (HR/OMR respectively) in order to avoid the application of regulations 41(1)(b) and 39(1)(b) of the HR/OMR.Acknowledgement: This article was identified by the Crown Estate Wave and Tidal Knowledge Network.
DA - 2010/08//
PY - 2010
SP - 14
PB - Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC)
UR - https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/50006/jncc-pprotocol.pdf
LA - English
KW - Wind Energy
KW - Fixed Offshore Wind
KW - Noise
KW - Marine Mammals
ER -