NWWAC criticises EU offshore wind report: major scientific gaps cited, calls for improved marine impact monitoring and balanced assessment
The North Western Waters Advisory Council (NWWAC) has submitted its response to a draft report on the “Cumulative impacts of offshore wind farm expansions,” expressing significant concerns regarding a perceived “lack of robust science” and “knowledge gaps” within the document.
The NWWAC opted to provide its feedback in an open letter format, citing a tight deadline that precluded their usual consensus-based review procedures.
While Advisory Council members had initially appreciated the robustness of the report’s methodology and process during discussions in January 2025, the NWWAC’s formal response highlighted limitations in drawing conclusions from what it deemed insufficient evidence.
The draft report, intended to assess consequences and solutions for achieving Good Environmental Status (GES) across European marine waters, was noted by the NWWAC as containing “shortcomings inconsistent with the positive statements made elsewhere in the report”. The Advisory Council pointed to a central contradiction: the report suggesting offshore wind turbines can act as artificial reefs and attract marine species, yet this hypothesis is based on limited observations and frequent gaps in baseline data. The NWWAC stated that any such “reef effect” remains localised and does not confirm a net increase in biomass or overall benefit for fisheries.
Furthermore, the NWWAC emphasised the significant disruptive effects of underwater noise, particularly during the installation of foundations, which can cause sensitive species to flee or become stressed. They asserted that it is inconsistent to highlight potential positive ecological roles of wind turbines without adequately quantifying these profound disturbances. The Council stressed that, without rigorous pre- and post-installation monitoring and long-term follow-up, supposed benefits remain highly speculative, weakening the report’s scientific rigour.
In its response, the NWWAC underscored the need for a comprehensive, long-term, and integrated approach to assessing and managing the cumulative impacts of offshore wind energy production on marine ecosystems. The Council called for a harmonised and equal approach to monitoring and assessing all commercial activities in the marine space, not just fishing, to achieve a balanced evaluation. This must include quantifying the economic effects on fisheries resulting from offshore renewable energy (ORE) development.
The NWWAC also advocated for ecological monitoring that includes baseline data prior to installation and continuous monitoring afterwards, to ensure that positive or negative effects are quantifiable and environmental assessments are not arbitrary. They urged for spatial assessment tools that can adequately capture both direct and cumulative impacts.
Highlighting the commercial fishing sector’s important role in achieving GES objectives, the NWWAC stressed the imperative to strengthen collaborations between industry and science. The Advisory Council, representing both nature conservation advocates and the fisheries sector, called on DG ENV to recognise ACs as strategic stakeholder bodies and increase direct communication regarding relevant work in the marine space.
Source: NWWAC