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Photo: Max Hurdebourcq
Welcome back!
Session 2, 21st May 2013
Martin Syvret of Aquafish Solutions Ltd.
on behalf of Co-location Project Team
May 2013
Reasons & Origin for Project:Why Offshore & Why Wind Farms?
North Hoyle Trial; Agreements – Logistics – Results
Project Structure:Funding - Project Partners – Duration
Deliverable: Aquaculture Opportunities Report
Deliverable: Guidance Manual
Co-location Case Study
Challenges & Follow-on Work
Conclusions & Close…
Why Offshore Shellfish Culture:Environment;
Increased water flow leading to higher
phytoplankton levels & dispersal of detritus
Generally superior water quality - Classifications
Less impacts of diffuse pollution e.g. faecal run-off from agricul.
Lower shellfish disease/pathogen load e.g. oysters
Food Safety;
Less norovirus / microbial contaminants / HABs
Economics & Operational;
Inshore = Lack of sites / Competition for space / Visual impact
Greater economies of scale with large farms
EU & Govt. Stance; Importance now recognised
ASP
This is the question that is asked by this sector…
Raises revenue for The Crown Estate
Efficient use of the marine space
Food security
Less large traffic through wind farm sites
Known environmental and bathymetric parameters
Potential exclusion of other activities
Deepdock Ltd. initiative with assistance from Seafish
Agreements and procedures:Mussel cultivation trial proposal / Method statement
Code of Practice / Operational plan
Marine emergency response plan / Risk assessment
Vessel Insurance
Permission from CCW / Permission from Welsh Government
Mare Gratia operating in the North Hoyle Wind Farm during the 2010 trials
A comparison of the size of mussels taken from samples (around 500) during deposition (20th July 2010) and harvesting (29th September 2010)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
10 20 30 40 50 60
No. of mussels
Mussel size (mm)
20th July 29th September
More structured multi-partner approach to future trials agreed…
Funding:Welsh European Fisheries Fund (EFF) & WG
50:50 ratio of Funding to Time CIK from Project Partners
45 days dedicated to deliverable production
Project Partners: Includes renewable energy companies, renewablesupport organisations, conservation agencies, Welsh Government,aquaculture industry + support & trade organisations, NGOs, researchorganisations, landowners, UK Government organisations
Duration:9-10 Month Project
Start date: 01 Oct. 2012 / End date: June-July 2013
Deliverables: Two main reports -
Reports guided by Project Meetings, one-to-one interviews, smallworkshops, planning case-study…
Advisory Group & Stakeholder input on:
1. What the review should cover?
2. Known past studies & trials
3. Identify suitable forms of shellfish aquaculture
4. Permission & tenure
5. Requirements for a safe & compatible approach to shellfishculture in wind farms
6. Nature conservation interests
7. Key policy drivers from all sectors
End point = guidance / recommendations on what shellfish culturetypes most suitable now or in near future – not MUPS!
Offshore Locations; Site choice dependent on temp. regime, water quality, plankton resource, seed availability, substrate type, depth, current velocity, other uses etc.
Farm size likely to be in 10km2+ sites?
Offshore Technology; New & innovative equipment designed to operate under extreme environmental conditions
Larger spaces allows low density & therefore low impact farm operations with lower unit production costs
Increased potential for mechanisation
Scale of Production; High capital outlay for these systems means that high output levels required if farms to be economically viable
Buck et. al., 2010
Advisory Group & Stakeholder input on:
1. Infrastructure for shellfish cultivation & installation
2. Husbandry types including deposition and harvesting methods
3. Safe access & development of a Safe Access Protocol
4. Operational compatibility of shellfish cultivn. & wind farm operation
5. Shellfish cultivation & nature conservation interests
6. Emergency procedures
End point =
A practical Manual on how to safely cultivate shellfish in Welshoffshore wind farm sites
Takes into account requirements of wind farm operators & natureconservation designations
50m
Zone 1 - Inner Exclusion ZoneMANDATORY
Zone 6 - Vessel manoeuvrability OffsetRESTRICTION
Vessel turning circle
Zone 5 - Emergency Response OffsetRESTRICTION
Distance travelled whilst deploying anchor
Zone 4 - Condition Specific OffsetRESTRICTION
Mooring line length (windage)
Zone 3 - Site Specific OffsetRESTRICTION
Mooring line length (depth/currents)
Zone 2 - VMS OffsetRESTRICTIONVessel length
Note: Zone sizing for illustrative purposes and not to scale. Zone scaling to be vessel, site and condition specific
Turbine Structure
Principal: There is a need to develop a system for setting risk-based restriction zonesIncludes: 1 =Inner exclusion core; 2 =Length of vessel; 3 = At anchor drift due to current speed/depth; 4 = Windage/wave induced; 5 =Distance before anchor deployment in emergency; 6 = Vessel turning circle
650m
850m
OPERATIONAL ZONE
RESTRICTION ZONEEXCLUSION ZONE
X4 turbines for illustration
Turbine separation W-E = 850m Turbine separation N-S = 650m 650m
WFO risk perception with ‘Christmas tree’
Key:
Fixed gear aquaculture
Seabed culture (e.g. seed mussel)
Scour protection (AR ranching – e.g. lobster)
Fishing – dredging zone
Conservation – monitoring zone
Marine parks and nature conservation spatial pressures are drivers for co-location or multi-functional use
Marine Spatial Planning is advanced and has shown how limited the space resource now is in German waters
Many Wind Farms 60km+ offshore and so face challenges with depth
Dredging not allowed within offshore sites & so targeting fixed gear aquaculture e.g. rope-mussels, cage culture of oysters
Mussel spat availability is constant when settling on ropes
Connecting equipment to and away from wind turbines has been considered
Figure (A) shows map of the area displaying18 offshore wind turbines & 6 single mussel plots designated by wind farm company Figure (B) presents a design of a single mussel plot within agroup of four wind turbines (not to scale)
(Source: Buck, B. H. , Ebeling, M. and Michler-Cieluch, T. (2010). Mussel Cultivation as a Co-Use in Offshore Wind Farms: Potentials and Economic Feasibility, Aquaculture Economics and Management 14(4):, pp. 1365-7305 )
Construction: Was due 2011, now planned for 2015, permit may be sold…
Limitations;No risk assessments carried out of WFO vs. aquaculture e.g. drifting rope-mussel lines
Experience so far is only with working at Pilot-scale studies i.e. extrapolation to commercial-scale is still theoretical
Environmental impacts, nutrient flux research etc. is through tank-based research only
Research Need;Commercial-scale research trial required to provide real data:
To test theoretical assumptions of environmental & ecological research
To ground-truth models and economic predictions
To investigate operational practises and test equipment and techniques
To investigate the potential for Co-Management
International co-operation & funding to meet this need?
Policy Drivers - German experience;Lots of discussions about benefits of co-location but for years there has been no progress on implementing practical projects
Recently changed due to the introduction of a law/regulation
WFDs must investigate prospects for co-location when submitting an application for a permit to develop a wind farm
No investigation (even if result is negative) = no permit
Demonstrates the need for Top Down intervention!
Why should the WFDs/WFOs get involved; What is in it for them?
“The challenge to developing offshore co-location is not technical but revolves around the ability to persuade
WFDs/WFOs to work with the aquaculture sector”
(Prof. Bela Buck, AWI Institute)
How to persuade the WFOs to co-locate;Socio-economic study: ‘Community Benefit Fund’ applicability informed by study
Scoping overview for this socio-economic study is planned and seeking funding
WFDs to become the developer of choice!
Successful Co-location of WFs &
Aquaculture
TOP DOWN APPROACH Policy drivers – Requiring and/or Incentives – Encouraging
Role for Defra / WG / MMO / TCE
BOTTOM UP APPROACHRequires - Industry Interest / Investment / Know-how
Investment – Supported by Funding
Commercial-scale Trials to test;
• Theories/Models• Environ. impacts
• Operational aspects• Technical challenges• Ecosystem services
• Economics
Socio-Economic Study to;
Highlight & Quantifypotential wider benefits of co-location
Deepdock Ltd.
James Wilson –Deepdock Ltd.Mark Gray –Sea Fish Industry AuthorityMartin Syvret –Aquafish Solutions Ltd.Andy FitzGeraldCatrin Ellis Jones - Catrin Ellis AssociatesMatt Ashley – Plymouth Marine Lab.
Martin Syvret
Aquafish Solutions Ltd.
E-mail: martin@aquafishsolutions.com
Web: www.aquafishsolutions.com
Contact details:
Outputs from the Co-location Project will be made available on the ASL website
http://www.aquafishsolutions.com/?page_id=83
Still inviting input: ‘Drop-in session’ tomorrow after conference close!
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