Posted under Conservation
Wind farms, which are threatening to mushroom in the North Sea all along the East Coast, are posing a major danger to whales and dolphins, a new report, which also hits at fishermen, has warned.
The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society says in a 160-page document that noise during construction and pile driving in coastal areas are near key fishing grounds and the noise can be heard by marine creatures in shallow waters up to 50 miles away. Damage to their hearing at close range can cause dramatic changes to their behaviour at distance of up to 20 miles.
The laying of cables and disturbances caused by service boats means the acoustic impact continues long after the building is over, the Whale and Dolphin Society said. Only five wind farms are in operation in the UK, but at least another ten are under construction with many more planned, the majority along the North Sea Coast, one of the windiest parts of Britain. Within the next decade, offshore wind power is expected to account for 20% of the UK’s energy needs.
The new document calls for more research into noise pollution, especially during the construction period it wants an end to the noise from service boats, which it says is also having a major impact.
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