Report on potential marine megafauna entanglement risk associated with marine renewable energy developments
Dear MARMAM members, On behalf of my co-authors, I would like to inform you that the following report was just published: Benjamins, S., Harnois, V., Smith, H.C.M., Johanning, L., Greenhill, L., Carter, C. and Wilson, B. 2014. Understanding the potential for marine megafauna entanglement risk from renewable marine energy developments. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 791 (http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/publications/commissioned_reports/791.pdf). This report considers the potential entanglement risk to marine megafauna from moored marine renewable energy developments (MRE). Existing information relating to entanglement is reviewed, and a qualitative risk assessment was developed to assess relative risk to marine megafauna on the basis of biological (body size, manoeuvrability etc.) and physical (mooring characteristics) risk factors. Results suggest that MRE device moorings are unlikely to pose a major threat, but that some mooring designs pose a greater relative risk than others. Recommendations are made to assist developers include relevant information in their development applications. On behalf of my co-authors, I would hereby like to thank all the members of the MARMAM community who responded to our initial requests for information on non-fisheries-related entanglements. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further queries about this report. Many thanks, Steven Benjamins _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Dr. Steven Benjamins Research Associate in Marine Vertebrate Ecology (PDRA) SAMS (Scottish Association for Marine Science) Oban Argyll Scotland UK PA37 1QA Tel: +44(0)1631-559449 (office) Tel: +44(0)1631-559000 (switchboard) Fax: +44(0)1631-559001 E-mail address: Steven.Benjamins@sams.ac.uk http://www.sams.ac.uk
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Steven Benjamins