Noss SPA
Gannet
  1. The source information regarding gannet collision mortality from other relevant projects is given in Table 5.146   Open ▸ .

 

Table 5.146:
Gannet Collision Mortalities Apportioned to the Noss SPA from Other Relevant Projects

Table 5.146: Gannet Collision Mortalities Apportioned to the Noss SPA from Other Relevant Projects

*Apportioned impacts only presented on an annual basis in source document.

 

  1. From this information, the various approaches have been consolidated into a “low” and a “high” estimate for the total in-combination impact. This is presented in Table 5.147   Open ▸ .

 

Table 5.147:
Gannet Collision Mortalities Apportioned to the Noss SPA In-Combination Totals

Table 5.147: Gannet Collision Mortalities Apportioned to the Noss SPA In-Combination Totals

 

  1. With a population of 27,530 breeding adults (Burnell et al., 2023), 31.0 to 33.8 additional mortalities represents a 0.113 to 0.123 percentage point increase in mortality rates. Therefore, PVA has been carried out both with and without Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm and for the high and low scenarios, to further assess the total in-combination impact.
  2. The PVA results are summarised in Table 5.148   Open ▸ . Full details are available in appendix 3B.

 

Table 5.148:
Summary of PVA Results for In-Combination Collision Impacts on Gannet at the Noss SPA

Table 5.148: Summary of PVA Results for In-Combination Collision Impacts on Gannet at the Noss SPA

 

  1. The gannet population of the Noss SPA has increased between its citation level of 13,720 breeding adults and recent counts of 27,530 breeding adults (Burnell et al., 2023).
  2. The CGR is 0.999 under all scenarios and approaches. The CPS ranges from 0.949 to 0.953. When considering the growth of the gannet population within the Noss SPA, this level of impact is not of a magnitude that is expected to adversely affect the population from meeting its conservation objectives. This is concluded due to both the impacted and unimpacted scenarios predicting the population to be far greater than the citation population.
  3. Therefore, there is no potential for an AEOI to the gannet feature of the Noss SPA as a result of collision from the Array in combination with other developments.

                        Breeding Seabird Assemblage

  1. Of the components of the seabird assemblage, gannet was the only species for which a potential LSE2 was identified. As detailed above, there is expected to be no AEOI on the gannet feature. Therefore, it can also be concluded, beyond reasonable scientific doubt, that there is no potential for an AEOI to the seabird assemblage feature of the Noss SPA as a result of collision from the Array in combination with other developments.
                        St Abb’s Head to Fast Castle SPA
Kittiwake (seabird assemblage component only)
  1. The source information regarding kittiwake collision mortality from other relevant projects is given in Table 5.149   Open ▸ .

 

Table 5.149:
Kittiwake Collision Mortalities Apportioned to the St Abb’s Head to Fast Castle SPA from Other Relevant Projects

Table 5.149: Kittiwake Collision Mortalities Apportioned to the St Abb’s Head to Fast Castle SPA from Other Relevant Projects

*Apportioned impacts only presented on an annual basis in source document.

 

  1. From this information, the various approaches have been consolidated into a “low” and a “high” estimate for the total in-combination impact. This is presented in Table 5.150   Open ▸ .

 

Table 5.150:
Kittiwake Collision Mortalities Apportioned to the St Abb’s Head to Fast Castle SPA In-Combination Totals

Table 5.150: Kittiwake Collision Mortalities Apportioned to the St Abb’s Head to Fast Castle SPA In-Combination Totals

 

  1. With a population of 10,300 breeding adults (Burnell et al., 2023), 17.0 to 301.3 additional mortalities represents a 0.165 to 2.925 percentage point increase in mortality rates. Therefore, PVA has been carried out both with and without Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm and for the high and low scenarios, to further assess the total in-combination impact.
  2. The PVA results are summarised in Table 5.151   Open ▸ . Full details are available in appendix 3B.

 

Table 5.151:
Summary of PVA Results for In-Combination Collision Impacts on Kittiwake at the St Abb’s Head to Fast Castle SPA

Table 5.151: Summary of PVA Results for In-Combination Collision Impacts on Kittiwake at the St Abb’s Head to Fast Castle SPA

 

  1. The kittiwake population of the St Abb’s Head to Fast Castle SPA has decreased between its citation level of 42,340 breeding adults and recent counts of 10,300 breeding adults (Burnell et al., 2023).
  2. If Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm is excluded, the median CGR is 0.998 which indicates the population growth rate declines by 0.2%. After 35 years (the expected lifespan of the Array), the CPS ranges from 0.927 to 0.933. Overall, under this scenario, the impact of displacement from the Array in combination with other projects is predicted to make no material impact on the kittiwake population compared to the counterfactual scenario.
  3. However, if Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm is included, the median CGR is 0.976 (under the “low” approach) to 0.965 (under the “high” approach) which indicates the population growth rate declines by 2.4% to 3.5% compared to the counterfactual. After 35 years (the expected lifespan of the Array), the CPS ranges from 0.411 to 0.281. This level of impact is considered to be high.

                        Breeding Seabird Assemblage

  1. Of the components of the seabird assemblage, kittiwake was the only species for which a potential LSE2 was identified. An assessment of the impact on kittiwake is provided above.
  2. If Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm is excluded it was found there will be no discernible impact to kittiwake, and therefore no potential impact on the seabird assemblage.
  3. However, if Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm is included, then it is likely that the kittiwake population will decline. Kittiwake were a significant portion of the assemblage at designation, consisting 21,170 pairs. As of the Seabirds Count census, this had declined to 5,150 pairs. It is concluded that the magnitude of decline if Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm is included is sufficient that it could adversely affect kittiwake being maintained as a viable component of the assemblage. It is also concluded that it could negatively affect the total size of the breeding seabird assemblage population.  
  4. Therefore, it is concluded, beyond reasonable scientific doubt, that there is no potential for an AEOI to the seabird assemblage feature of the St Abb’s Head to Fast Castle SPA if Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm is excluded, but there is a potential AEOI to the seabird assemblage feature of the St Abb’s Head to Fast Castle SPA from the in-combination displacement impact of the Array and other developments including Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm.
  5. However, it should be noted that Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm identified an AEOI ‘alone’ for the kittiwake feature of the St Abb’s Head to Fast Castle SPA (SSE Renewables, 2022). Therefore, should Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm proceed, then its impact on the kittiwake feature of the St Abb’s Head to Fast Castle SPA will be fully mitigated and should not be included in the Array ‘in-combination’ assessment.
  6. On this basis, it is appropriate to not include Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm in the in-combination assessment for this particular site and feature, in which case there is no AEOI alone or in-combination for the seabird assemblage feature of the St Abb’s Head to Fast Castle SPA.