#8/9 Bird monitoring at Dugeon offshore windfarm

Bird monitoring at Dudgeon Offshore Windfarm – building on experience from Norway and elsewhere

Steinar Eldøy, Statoil

2015-03-16 Classification: Internal

DOW Ornithological Monitoring Programme (OMP)

Initial Marine Licence conditions

• Species mentioned as being of paricular importance:

− Sandwich Tern [Sterna sandvicensis], [Northern] Gannet [Morus bassanus], Lesser

Black-backed Gull [Larus fuscus] and [Northern] Fulmar [Fulmarus glacialis]

• Timing of the studies

− Pre-construction – one year

− Construction – over as many years as undertaken

− Post-construction – three years

Initial proposal

Duplicate studies at Sherringham Shoal (traditional boat based surveys + visual tracking by ribs)

(Licence condition now amended to focus on Sandwich Terns)

Classification: Internal 2013-03-11 2

Key principles and questions to consider

• The OMP should apply methods that are sufficiently scientifically robust to detect

and understand potential impacts, and differentiate changes from spatial and

temporal natural variations.

• Reliable data for validation of collision risk modelling – are technologies for

assessing actual collision rates available?

• Could coordinated efforts with other projects and scientific entities contribute

more to increased knowledge on actual impacts from offshore wind than

independent project specific studies?

• Are spatial and temporal population data and their natural variations sufficiently

known?

• Would a SEAPOP/SEATRACK approach benefit the offshore wind industry?

• Could new technologies for tracking movements/migration of birds add value?

• Cost effectiveness – value for money (knowledge for money)

2013-11-05 3 Classification: Internal

Preliminary evaluation

• It is highly questionable whether the approach using boat based surveys (or aerial

surveys) provide a scientifically solid basis for evaluating actual impacts, at least

impacts on population level. Changes in at sea densities may not be attributed to

the presence of the windfarm.

• Validation of collision modelling based on density figures alone questionable –

tracking of individual birds and their flight pattern may be helpful.

• Lack of information/knowledge on where (which colonies) birds at sea are comming

from (perhaps with the exception of Sandwhich Tern) makes any evaluation of

impacts on populations impossible.

• Surveys of fish (acoustic methods and demersal trawling) as a means to linking

results of ornithological monitoring, with monitoring of their prey, questionable.

• Costs are high (value/knowledge for money low).


Possible use of new tracking technologies?

New and improved technologies for geo-location provide opportunities for

significantly improved understanding of bird movements and migration, including the

connectivity between breeding colonies and feeding grounds.

• Satellite transmitters –

provide real time data transmission.

• GLS loggers - suitable for determining large scale

movements and population/colony connectivity,

limited accuracy (± 180 km).

• GPS loggers – give accurate location (± 1 m) data,

which are stored and need to be down loaded onshore.


The Norwegian seabird program - SEAPOP

• Updating sebird baseline data repetedly requested (late 1990ies) when the oil

industry was preparing environmental risk assessments and impact assessments

for different exploration and development plans

• Seabird data old and outdated (10-15+ years)

• Limitation in knowledge of seabird ecology, in particular

− Populations

− Dynamics

− Causes for changes (impact mechanisms)

• Different seabird mapping, monitoring and research activities lacked coordination

• Difficulties in accessing data on seabirds


Statoil’s initiative

• Statoil engaged NINA (the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research) to develop a

proposal for a national seabird programme in 1999 (as a part of the preparations for

the 16. offshore oil and gas consession round in Norway) aiming at

− Developing a consept for filling knowledge gaps

− Improve the understanding of natural variability and improve the basis for

distinguishing between natural variations and impacts of oil spills and other

anthropogenic factors

− Coordinate efforts related to seabird mapping, monitoring and research within

the industry

− Highlight possible synergies in joining efforts between the industry,

environmental authorities and research

− Improve accessability to data and knowledge on seabirds


SEAPOP consept development and implementation

• A first consept report titled SEAPOP – Seabird Population Management and

Petroleum Operations (Seabird Population Management and Petroleum

Operations) 2001

• Dialogue with environmental authorities resulted in the consepc proposal being

adopted as an idea for a joint effort between authorities, industry and research – a

national Norwegian seabird programme

• Implementation started 2005, funded by the Norwegian Oil and Gas Assossiation

• The authorities joined from 2006, and has since then covered approximately 85%

of the costs (Ministry of Environment and Climate + Ministry of Oil and Energy)

• Steering committee apponted by the Ministry of Environment (differents authority

agencies and the Norwegian Oil and Gas Assossiation)

• Implemented jointly by NINA, Norwegian Polar Research Institute, Tromsø

Museum)


SEAPOP Key Sites


Sattelite tagging of Ivory Gulls


Kittiwake – winter distribution


SEAPOP and SEATRACK

• SEAPOP is national Norwegian programme for mapping and monitoring of seabird

populations, originally initiated by Statoil in cooperation with NINA (the Norwegian

Intitute for Nature Research) http://www.seapop.no/no/

• SEATRAK is an addition intending to track movements of seabirds at sea outside

the breeding season (funing from the Ministry of Environments, the Foreign Ministry

and industry)

− Started 2014

− Include one UK colony (Isle of May),

where 7 species will be equiped with GLS

loggers (Guillemot, Puffin, Kittiwake, Lesser

Black-backed Gull, Fulmar, Herring Gull

and Shag)


http://www.seapop.no/no/

SEATRACK - species


SEATRACK – colonies


Guillemots from Isle of May – GLS studies


Kittiwake GPS logger studies


GPS logger - Sandwich Tern


Presentation title

Presenters name

Presenters title

E-mail address ……@statoil.com

Tel: +4700000000 www.statoil.com


Backup slildes


Chukchi Sea Environmental Studies Program

• Initiated by ConocoPhillips and Shell in

2008. Statoil joined since in 2010.

• Multi-year scientific study following an

ecosystem approach.

• Most comprehensive science program

in the Arctic.

• More than 145 people are working on

this program from 10 different

universities and companies.

• Data shared with NOAA and other

agencies.

.

Disciplines

• Oceanographic moorings

• Physical oceanography

• Micro/phytoplankton

• Nutrients/zooplankton

• Ocean acidification

• Baseline chemistry

• Benthic ecology

• Fish ecology

• Seabird ecology

• Marine mammal ecology

• Passive acoustics

Main Findings

• Chukchi not homogeneous & highly variable

between study areas, seasonally and inter-

annually.

• It all starts with currents, bathymetry and ice.

• Plankton highly variable between year,

influenced by inflow from the Pacific.

• No large fish collected.

• Seabirds as other groups – highly variable

34 - Classifi

cation:

Internal

2010-

05-03

Zooplankton Ecology

Arctic Cod

Hamecon

Classification: Internal

Status: Draft

Europipe Gas Pipeline – Landfall North Germany

• Extensive tidal mud flats

• Sensitive breeding habitats for birds

• Important areas for seals

#8/9 Bird monitoring at Dugeon offshore windfarm

Environment

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