12.13. Proposed Monitoring

  1. This section outlines the proposed monitoring proposed for commercial fisheries. Proposed monitoring measures are outlined in Table 12.13   Open ▸ below.

 

Table 12.13:
Proposed Monitoring and the Method of Implementation for commercial fisheries

Table 12.13: Proposed Monitoring and the Method of Implementation for commercial fisheries

 

12.14. Transboundary Effects

  1. Transboundary effects are defined as those effects upon the receiving environment of European Economic Area (EEA) states, whether occurring from the Array alone, or cumulatively with other projects in the wider area. A screening of transboundary impacts has been carried out, which identified that there was the potential for transboundary effects to occur in relation to commercial fisheries. The potential transboundary impacts screened into the assessment for commercial fisheries are:
  • effects on commercial fishing fleets as a result of impacts from the Array on commercial fish stocks in the waters of EEA States; and
  • effects on commercial fishing fleets from all EEA countries as a result of constraints on foreign commercial fishing activities operating in the Array, including demersal trawling, and other gears. These effects may include reduction in access to fishing grounds and potential displacement of fishing effort from the Array to alternative fishing grounds in EEA States, which will have direct implications to that fishing ground.
  1. Effects on biological resources could occur over a range of tens of kilometres from the Array and could therefore interact with the following EEA states: Norway. Based on the minor to negligible significance of disruption to commercial species during all phases of the project, and informed by the fish and shellfish ecology assessment (volume 2, chapter 9), it is expected that the impact on all fish and shellfish stocks in the Norwegian EEZ will be negligible. Therefore, the potential transboundary impact of effects on commercial fish stocks in the waters of other EEA states on commercial fisheries is concluded to be not significant in EIA terms.
  2. Effects on commercial fishing fleets could occur over a range of hundreds of kilometres from the Array (i.e. affecting fleets from other states that operate in the vicinity of the Array) and could therefore interact with the following EEA states: the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, France and Ireland. Effects on these foreign commercial fishing fleets from EEA states, in terms of reduction in access to fishing grounds and displacement into alternative grounds including other EEZs, have therefore been intrinsically considered throughout the commercial fisheries EIA process and are consistent to those presented in the assessment of the effects of the Array alone (section 12.11) and CEA (section 12.12.3).

12.15. Inter-Related Effects (and Ecosystem Assessment)

  1. A description of the likely inter-related effects arising from the Array on commercial fisheries is provided in volume 2, chapter 20 of the Array EIA Report.
  2. For commercial fisheries, the following potential impacts have been considered within the inter-related assessment:
  • temporary loss or restricted access to fishing grounds;
  • long term loss or restricted access to fishing grounds;
  • displacement of fishing activity into other areas;
  • interference with fishing activity;
  • increased snagging risk, which could result in loss or damage to fishing gear;
  • increased steaming/vessel transit times; and
  • impacts to commercially exploited species populations.
  1. Table 12.14   Open ▸ lists the inter-related effects (project lifetime effects) that are predicted to arise during the construction, operation and maintenance phase, and decommissioning of the Array and also the inter-related effects (receptor-led effects) that are predicted to arise for commercial fisheries receptors.
  1. Effects on commercial fishing also have the potential to have a secondary effect on other receptors and these effects are fully considered in the topic-specific chapters and elsewhere in this chapter. These receptors and effects are:
  • fish and shellfish ecology:

–           displacement of fishing activities into other areas could increase fishing pressure in these areas and affect fish and shellfish receptors; and

  • benthic subtidal ecology:

–           displacement of fishing activities into other areas could increase fishing pressure in these areas and affect benthic subtidal ecology receptors; and

  • socio-economics:

–           reduced value of fish caught by commercial fisheries with potential downstream impacts, for example on fish processors.

 

Table 12.14:
Summary of Likely Significant Inter-Related Effects for Commercial Fisheries from Individual Effects Occurring Across the Construction, Operation and Maintenance and Decommissioning Phases of the Array (Array Lifetime Effects) and from Multiple Effects Interacting Across all Phases (Receptor-led Effects)

Table 12.14: Summary of Likely Significant Inter-Related Effects for Commercial Fisheries from Individual Effects Occurring Across the Construction, Operation and Maintenance and Decommissioning Phases of the Array (Array Lifetime Effects) and from Multiple Effects Interacting Across all Phases (Receptor-led Effects)

 

12.16. Summary of Impacts, Mitigation, Likely Significant Effects and Monitoring

  1. Information on commercial fisheries within the commercial fisheries local and regional study areas was collected through desktop review, data analysis and consultation. This information is summarised in Table 12.15   Open ▸ and Table 12.16   Open ▸ .
  2. Table 12.15   Open ▸ presents a summary of the potential impacts, designed in measures and the conclusion of LSE1 in EIA terms in respect to commercial fisheries. The impacts assessed include:
  • temporary loss or restricted access to fishing grounds;
  • long term loss or restricted access to fishing grounds;
  • displacement of fishing activity into other areas;
  • interference with fishing activity;
  • increased snagging risk, which could result in loss or damage to fishing gear;
  • increased steaming/vessel transit times; and
  • impacts to commercial exploited species populations.
  1. Overall, it is concluded in section 12.11 that there will be the no LSE1 arising from the Array during all phases.
  2. To ensure the baseline assessment remains valid, monitoring commercial fisheries activity is proposed for 2024 onwards, as well as commitment to a FMMS including updates as necessary based on monitoring findings.
  3. Table 12.16   Open ▸ presents a summary of the potential impacts, designed in measures and the conclusion of likely significant cumulative effects on commercial fisheries in EIA terms. The cumulative effects assessed include:
  • temporary loss or restricted access to fishing grounds;
  • long term loss or restricted access to fishing grounds;
  • displacement of fishing activity into other areas; and
  • impacts to commercial exploited species populations.
  1. Overall, it is concluded that there will be the following likely significant cumulative effects from the Array alongside other projects/plans:
  • temporary loss or restricted access to fishing grounds;
  • long term loss or restricted access to fishing grounds; and
  • displacement of fishing activity into other areas.
  1. Additional mitigation in the form of participation and engagement in a regional commercial fisheries working group and regional monitoring of fisheries activity is proposed. Overall, this lowers the residual impact to be not significant in EIA terms.
  2. No likely significant transboundary effects have been identified in regard to effects of the Array.

Table 12.15:
Summary of Likely Significant Environmental Effects, Secondary Mitigation and Monitoring

Table 12.15: Summary of Likely Significant Environmental Effects, Secondary Mitigation and Monitoring


Table 12.16:
Summary of Likely Significant Cumulative Environment Effects, Mitigation and Monitoring

Table 12.16: Summary of Likely Significant Cumulative Environment Effects, Mitigation and Monitoring