Harbour Porpoise Network Borssele
The Dutch government is investing heavily in the development of offshore wind energy. This development calls for scientific research into its potential effects on the ecology of the North Sea. As part of the Offshore Wind Ecological Programme (WOZEP), research is being conducted into the habitat use of harbour porpoises in and around the operational Borssele offshore wind farm. This research provides essential knowledge for assessing the ecological impact of offshore wind farms and developing appropriate mitigation measures.
- Client: Wozep (Rijkswaterstaat)
- Location: Borssele windpark
- Project period: 2021 - 2027
The transition to sustainable energy is driving the large-scale development of offshore wind farms. To gain a better understanding of their ecological effects, the Offshore Wind Ecological Programme (WOZEP) was established on behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy. The programme investigates the effects of offshore wind energy on the North Sea ecosystem. One of the knowledge gaps concerns the effects on harbour porpoises, including the suitability of operational wind farms as habitat.
As part of WOZEP, specific research is being conducted into the presence and habitat use of harbour porpoises in and around the Borssele wind farm, which has been operational since 2020. By deploying a large-scale network of Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) instruments, we continuously collect data on the presence and behaviour of harbour porpoises, including their foraging activity.
The research focuses on seven key questions, including: how frequently do harbour porpoises occur within the wind farm compared with open sea areas, what temporal variation occurs in their activity and presence, and to what extent do sounds generated by the wind farm affect their behaviour?
The insights gained are essential for policy development, environmental impact assessments and appropriate assessments. They contribute to the responsible development of offshore wind energy, ensuring that ecological considerations are incorporated into decision-making and the design of mitigation measures.
Take a look at our other projects
Effects of Electromagnetic Fields on Harbour Porpoises
The installed export cables that connect offshore wind farms to the mainland generate electromagnetic fields (EMF) due to the amount of electricity flowing through the cables. These EMF may potentially affect marine life in the immediate vicinity of the cables. To determine and better understand the potential effects of EMF on the acoustic activity of harbour porpoises, we work together with Wageningen Marine Research (WMR) and Witteveen+Bos on various measurement campaigns and analysis studies.
MUSA, Research into the behavior of mud-sand mixtures
MUSA, Research into the behavior of silt-sand mixtures Tidal basins and estuaries form an important transition zone between land and sea. These areas are vital for flora and fauna, but are also extensively used by humans, for example for shipping. For ecological and navigational purposes, it is important to understand how channels and shoals behave and what seabed compositions can be expected in different locations. The seabed in tidal basins and estuaries consists mainly of sand and silt. The channels are often sandy, whilst the intertidal zones are rich in silt. The interaction between sand and silt, combined with currents and waves, leads to a complex dynamic of migrating channels and banks in these areas.
Underwater sound DEMASK
The DEMASK project aims to develop and test policy scenarios for continuous underwater noise in the North Sea. Through measurements, the project investigates to what extent anthropogenic noise sources contribute to underwater noise and what impact this has on the marine ecosystem. With measurement setups on the bottom of the North Sea, long-term measurements are conducted, and data is collected that provides insight in the noise distribution in the North Sea.
