As a follow-up on the large environmental monitoring program, which ran from 1996-2006, a smaller programme, which follows up on the former, has been initiated.
The follow-up environmental programme runs from 2009- 2012, and the projects focus on fish, harbour porpoises, birds and various cumulative effects. You can read more about the different projects here:
Fish:
Effects of the Horns Rev I offshore wind farm on fish communities:
This project aims to clarify the effects of the Horns Rev I offshore wind farm on fish and fishery interests by documenting the spatial variation in fish communities within an around the wind farm.
Being constructed in 2002, it may be expected that possible effects on fish communities induced direct and indirect by the wind farm will have stabilized by now. The project is a follow-up on the previous fish monitoring programme carried out at the Horns Rev I wind farm, and consists of two parts:
1) General fish communities and reef effect, and
2) Sandeels.
The project was completed in December 2010 and the report can be seen here:
Effect of the Horns Rev I Offshore Wind Farm on Fish Communities - Follow-up Seven Years after Construction
Harbour porpoises:
Survey connecting the monitoring activities at Horns Rev II offshore wind farm and the FINO 3 platform with regard to responses of harbour porpoises to pile driving activities:
The project aimed to survey the effects of ramming of monopoles on harbour porpoises in the area between Horns Rev and the German border. Construction work at both Horns Rev II and FINO 3 platform was carried out in the same period and the response of porpoises to the construction noise was studied with porpoise detectors (PODs) both places. Further placing of a number of PODs between the two areas (approx. 50 km apart), should deliver data on porpoise response to pile driving over a distance of up to 50 km.
The project is completed and can be seen here:
Harbour porpoise responses to pile driving at the Horns Rev II offshore wind farm in the Danish North Sea
Testing the effectiveness of seal scarers in deterring harbour porpoises:
Seal scarers are commonly used during offshore pile driving, and studies indicate that also harbour porpoises are deterred out of an area due to the seal scarers. The response of the porpoises and the efficiency of the devices are however not sufficiently documented. This study includes land based visual observations to measure temporal and spatial scale of harbour porpoise response to seal scarers. The study is coordinated with a German study carried out in the North Sea also using PODs.
The project was completed in December 2010, and the report should be completed before the end of 2012.
Effects of wind turbines on harbour porpoise behavior and population dynamics under different environmental conditions:
The scope of the project is to assess the cumulative effects of wind farms and other anthropogenic factors (traffic, fishery, bridges etc.) on harbour porpoise behavior and population dynamics. A spatially explicit individual-based model (IBM) will be used. Once a sufficiently accurate model has been developed, it will be applied in a number of areas where wind farms have been constructed to validate the model. It is expected that the model can be used to assist the spatial planning of offshore wind farms in the future.
The project was completed in July 2011 and the final report can be seen here:
Effects of wind farms on harbour porpoise behaviour and population dynamics
Birds:
Aerial surveys of common scoters at Horns Rev, winter 2006/2007:
The project's aim is to document the occurrence of common scoters in and around the Horns Rev I wind farm during the winter of 2006/2007. It is a follow-up on the previous bird monitoring programme carried out at Horns Rev I. The project was initiated as a follow-up on reports on the presence of large numbers of common scoters within the wind farm.
The project is completed and can be seen here:
Changes in bird habitat utilization around the Horns Rev I offshore wind farm, with particular emphasis on common scoter
Common scoters and food resources Horns Rev:
The project will follow up on previous common scoter studies carried out at Horns Rev I, by undertaking a targeted sampling programme on common scoter food resources (razor clams and cut through shells) using specialized sampling gear. The quantitative samples will allow for an update of the existing habitat suitability model of the distribution of the prey species over the period from 2000 to 2008. The updated model will also form basis for estimation of the distribution of the prey species, and thereby common scoter, during future planning of wind farms in the region.
The project will be completed by September 2011, and the report should be done before the end of 2012.
Diver and seaduck numbers and distribution patterns in Danish offshore waters:
The project shall provide an up-dated overview of numbers and distribution of key seabird species in Danish offshore waters with the aim of improving the basis for spatial planning decisions and environmental impact assessment for future offshore wind farms. Spatial modeling with Generalized Additive Models will be carried out, incorporating biotic and abiotic explanatory variables. A separate part of the project (and deliverable), will focus on the occurrence of moulting common scoters in the Northern Kattegat area.
The project is completed, and the reports can be seen here:
Abundance and distribution of selected waterbird species in Danish marine areas
A report on "Factors affecting the distribution of common scoters in the moulting period in Aalborg Bugt" has also been completed, and the report can be seen here in Danish:
Faktorer der påvirker fordelingen af sortænder i fældningsperioden i Ålborg Bugt
Cumulative effects:
Cumulative effects of planned offshore wind farm development on divers:
Previous studies conducted at the Horns Rev I offshore wind suggest that divers avoid offshore wind farms as feeding areas. The aim of this project is an attempt to quantify the potential cumulative effects on wintering divers in relation to the presently planned Danish offshore wind power development, and to assess its potential significance on a population level. The assessment will be based on an Agent Based Model, incorporating present knowledge on diver distribution and factors potentially affecting the distribution of these birds.
The project was completed by January 2011, and the report can be seen here:
Report on a red-throated diver agent-based model to assess the cumulative impact from offshore wind farms
Also, on 16 November 2010, a seminar was held at DONG Energy called: Offshore Wind Farms and Conservation of Red Throated Divers - Current knowledge on displacement and population aspects.
The seminar was attended by red throated diver experts from several European countries.
See agenda and the minutes from the different presentations and panel discussion here.