Addressing offshore wind farms compatibilities and conflicts with marine conservation through the application of modelled benchmarking scenarios

Abstract

Offshore wind power generation structures are scheduled for development in the Canary Islands, potentially resulting in spatial overlap with various maritime activities, particularly fishing. It is crucial to point out that some areas that are considered suitable for installing these structures are in protected zones that are part of the Natura 2000 network, and do not have any prior environmental impact assessments. The research delved into the efficacy of utilizing Ecopath with Ecosim software to examine the consequences of implementing this technology in the study area, employing an ecosystem-based approach. To address this question, simulations were executed by assessing three distinct scenarios. The results suggest that there would be changes in the distribution of keystone species such as top predators, alongside a conspicuous decline in the abundance and catches of target species of the fishery. The Ecospace model holds the potential to forecast the impacts of offshore wind installations; however, crucial factors must be carefully considered, such as the lack of information. Notwithstanding the constraints, research like this demonstrates the efficacy of spatial ecosystem modelling in exploring this issue.