Short Science Summary: Electromagnetic Fields

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Potential Environmental Effects on Animals from Marine Renewable Energy: Electromagnetic Fields

Certain marine animals, such as certain elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, rays, etc.), marine mammals, crustaceans, sea turtles, and other fish species, can sense electromagnetic fields (EMFs). These species use EMFs to navigate, orient, and hunt for prey. Cables from operational marine renewable energy (MRE) devices can add EMFs to the environment, on top of other anthropogenic sources such as underwater telecom or power cables, while also adding to the Earth’s natural field. MRE devices can potentially alter the ambient EMF field, which may disrupt the animals’ ability to detect natural signatures, potentially affecting their survival, reproductive success, or migratory patterns. With the advent of larger MRE developments, the intensity and range of the emissions may increase.

This Short Science Summary was developed based on the OES-Environmental 2020 State of the Science Report: Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Development Around the World, specifically Chapter 5: Risk to Animals from Electromagnetic Fields Emitted by Electric Cables and Marine Renewable Energy Devices.

Download the Electromagnetic Fields Short Science Summary

The table below contains the literature relevant to effects of electromagnetic fields on marine animals and will continue to be updated as new literature is added to Tethys.

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
PelagiCam: a novel underwater imaging system with computer vision for semi-automated monitoring of mobile marine fauna at offshore structures Sheehan, E., Bridger, D., Nancollas, S., Pittman, S. Journal Article Marine Energy (General), Wind Energy (General), Offshore Wind Fish, Invertebrates
Modelling the impact of tidal range energy on species communities Baker, A., Craighead, R., Jarvis, E., Stenton, H., Angeloudis, A., Mackie, L., Avdis, A., Piggott, M., Hill, J. Journal Article Marine Energy (General), Tidal Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates
Comparative migration ecology of striped bass and Atlantic sturgeon in the US Southern mid-Atlantic bight flyway Rothermel, E., Balazik, M., Best, J., Breece, M., Fox, D., Gahagan, B., Haulsee, D., Higgs, A., O'Brien, M., Oliver, M., Park, I., Secor, D. Journal Article Wind Energy (General), Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance Fish
2020 State of the Science Report - Chapter 3: Collision Risk for Animals around Turbines Sparling, C., Seitz, A., Masden, E., Smith, K. Report Marine Energy (General), Tidal Collision Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals
OES-Environmental 2020 State of the Science Report: Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Development Around the World Copping, A., Hemery, L. Report Marine Energy (General), Tidal, Wave Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entrapment, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Shorebirds, Waterfowl, Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Reptiles, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Social & Economic Data
2020 State of the Science Report - Chapter 4: Risk to Marine Animals from Underwater Noise Generated by Marine Renewable Energy Devices Polagye, B., Bassett, C. Report Marine Energy (General), Tidal, Wave Noise Fish, Marine Mammals
2020 State of the Science Report - Chapter 5: Risk to Animals from Electromagnetic Fields Emitted by Electric Cables and Marine Renewable Energy Devices Gill, A., Desender, M. Report Marine Energy (General), Tidal, Wave EMF Fish, Invertebrates
Ontogenetic variation in the hearing sensitivity of black sea bass (Centropristis striata) and the implications of anthropogenic sound on behavior and communication Stanley, J., Caiger, P., Phelan, B., Shelledy, K., Mooney, T., Van Parijs, S. Journal Article Marine Energy (General) Noise Fish
Impact of Offshore Wind Farms on Marine Ecosystems, Pelagic Species and Fishing Negro, V., del Campo, J., Luengo Frades, J., Martín Antón, M., Esteban, M., López-Gutiérrez, J., Soukissian, T. Journal Article Wind Energy (General), Offshore Wind Attraction, Displacement Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Pelagic Fish, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Recreation & Tourism
Taking the Animals' Perspective Regarding Anthropogenic Underwater Sound Popper, A., Hawkins, A., Thomsen, F. Journal Article Marine Energy (General), Wind Energy (General) Noise Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Using Artificial-Reef Knowledge to Enhance the Ecological Function of Offshore Wind Turbine Foundations: Implications for Fish Abundance and Diversity Glarou, M., Zrust, M., Svendsen, J. Journal Article Wind Energy (General), Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish
Quantifying biodiversity trade-offs in the face of widespread renewable and unconventional energy development Popescu, V., Munshaw, R., Shackelford, N., Montesino Pouzols, F., Dubman, E., Gibeau, P., Horne, M., Moilanen, A., Palen, W. Journal Article Marine Energy (General), Riverine, Wind Energy (General), Land-Based Wind Fish, Reptiles, Terrestrial Mammals, Human Dimensions, Climate Change, Environmental Impact Assessment
Risk Retirement for Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Copping, A., Freeman, M., Overhus, D. Report Marine Energy (General) Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entrapment, Habitat Change, Noise Seabirds, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Functional differences in trophic structure of offshore wind farm communities: A stable isotope study Mavraki, N., Degraer, S., Moens, T., Vanaverbeke, J. Journal Article Wind Energy (General), Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates
Structure in a sea of sand: fish abundance in relation to man-made structures in the North Sea Wright, S., Lynam, C., Righton, D., Metcalfe, J., Hunter, E., Riley, A., Garcia, L., Posen, P., Hyder, K. Journal Article Wind Energy (General), Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish
Underwater Visual Records of Marine Megafauna Around Offshore Anthropogenic Structures Todd, V., Lazar, L., Williamson, L., Peters, I., Hoover, A., Cox, S., Todd, I., Macreadie, P., McLean, D. Journal Article Marine Energy (General), Wind Energy (General), Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Reptiles
Vertical migrations of fish schools determine overlap with a mobile tidal stream marine renewable energy device Whitton, T., Jackson, S., Hiddink, J., Scoulding, B., Bowers, D., Powell, B., Jackson, T., Gimenez, L., Davies, A. Journal Article Marine Energy (General), Tidal Fish, Pelagic Fish
Risk Retirement—Decreasing Uncertainty and Informing Consenting Processes for Marine Renewable Energy Development Copping, A., Freeman, M., Gorton, A., Hemery, L. Journal Article Marine Energy (General) EMF, Noise Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Mortality assessment for adult European eels (Anguilla Anguilla) during turbine passage using CFD modelling Klopries, E., Holger, S. Journal Article Marine Energy (General) Collision Fish
Electric and magnetic senses in marine animals, and potential behavioral effects of electromagnetic surveys Nyqvist, D., Durif, C., Gullikstad Johnsen, M., De Jong, K., Nesse Forland, T., Doksæter Sivle, L. Journal Article Marine Energy (General) EMF Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Reptiles
Movement and Habitat Selection by Migratory Fishes within the Maryland Wind Energy Area and Adjacent Reference Sites Secor, D., O'Brien, M., Rothermel, E., Wiernicki, C., Bailey, H. Report Wind Energy (General), Offshore Wind Fish
Use of a model turbine to investigate the high striking risk of fish with tidal and oceanic current turbine blades under slow rotational speed Yoshida, T., Zhou, J., Park, S., Muto, H., Kitazawa, D. Journal Article Marine Energy (General), Ocean Current, Tidal Collision Fish, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Stakeholder Engagement
Using acoustic telemetry for high-resolution sablefish movement informing potential interactions with a tidal turbine Staines, G., Deng, Z., Li, X., Martinez, J., Kohn, N., Harker-Klimes, G. Conference Paper Marine Energy (General) Avoidance, Collision Fish
Diversity, abundance and size structure of fishes and invertebrates captured by an intertidal fishing weir at Bramber, Minas Basin, Nova Scotia Dadswell, M., Spares, A., Porter, E., Porter, D. Journal Article Marine Energy (General), Tidal Fish
A mesocosm comparison of laboratory‐based and on‐site eDNA solutions for detection and quantification of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) in marine ecosystems Skinner, M., Murdoch, M., Loeza-Quintana, T., Crookes, S., Hanner, R. Journal Article Marine Energy (General) Fish
Vertical Distribution of Juvenile Salmon in a Large Turbid River Jump, S., Courtney, M., Seitz, A. Journal Article Marine Energy (General), Riverine Displacement Fish, Pelagic Fish
An agent-based model to predict fish collisions with tidal stream turbines Rossington, K., Benson, T. Journal Article Marine Energy (General), Tidal Collision Fish
Development of Wireless Control System With Underwater Fish-Eye Camera to Monitor Fish at the Test Site of Marine Renewable Energy Yoshida, T., Mizukami, Y., Zhou, J., Kitazawa, D. Conference Paper Marine Energy (General) Human Dimensions, Fish, Environmental Impact Assessment
Changes in Relative Fish Density Around a Deployed Tidal Turbine during on-Water Activities Staines, G., Zydlewski, G., Viehman, H. Journal Article Marine Energy (General), Tidal Avoidance Fish
Oil and gas platforms as artificial substrates for epibenthic North Sea fauna: Effects of location and depth Schutter, M., Dorenbosch, M., Driessen, F., Lengkeek, W., Bos, O., Coolen, J. Journal Article Wind Energy (General), Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Attraction Invertebrates, Fish
Offshore oil production platforms as potential sources of larvae to coastal shelf regions off southern California Nishimoto, M., Simons, R., Love, M. Journal Article Invertebrates, Fish, Ecosystem Processes
Does temporal variability limit standardized biological monitoring at wave and tidal energy sites? Gonzalez, S., Horne, J., Ward, E. Journal Article Marine Energy (General) Fish
Fish densities associated with structural elements of oil and gas platforms in southern California Meyer-Gutbrod, E., Kui, L., Nishimoto, M., Love, M., Schroeder, D., Miller, R. Journal Article Wind Energy (General), Offshore Wind, Marine Energy (General) Habitat Change Fish
Predictable changes in fish school characteristics due to a tidal turbine support structure Williamson, B., Fraser, S., Williamson, L., Nikora, V., Scott, B. Journal Article Marine Energy (General), Tidal Attraction Fish
U.S. Geological Survey energy and wildlife research annual report for 2019 Khalil, M. Report Wind Energy (General), Land-Based Wind, Offshore Wind Bats, Birds, Fish, Terrestrial Mammals
Interaction of Marine Renewable Energy and Marine Organisms: Active Acoustic Assessment Williamson, B., Fraser, S., Nikora, V., Blondel, P., Couto, A., Chapman, J., Scott, B. Conference Paper Tidal, Marine Energy (General) Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Fish
Studies on the evaluation of fish attraction performance around anchored Fish Aggregating Devices (aFADs) Karama, K. Thesis Marine Energy (General), Wind Energy (General) Attraction Fish, Invertebrates
Salmonid response to a vertical axis hydrokinetic turbine in a stream aquarium Berry, M., Sundberg, J., Francisco, F. Conference Paper Marine Energy (General), Tidal Collision Fish, Pelagic Fish
Relating fish distributions to physical characteristics of a tidal energy candidate site in the Banks Strait, Australia Scherelis, C., Penesis, I., Marsh, P., Cossu, R., Hemer, M., Wright, J. Conference Paper Marine Energy (General), Tidal Fish
Improving visual biodiversity assessments of motile fauna in turbid aquatic environments Jones, R., Griffin, R., Rees, S., Unsworth, R. Journal Article Marine Energy (General), Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy (General), Offshore Wind Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
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