Tools for assessing the impact of marine industries on seabirds
Growth of coastal and marine industries, such as energy development, aquaculture, fishery and shipping, has led to increasing pressure on marine biodiversity. Consequently, there is an urgent demand for novel management tools to ensure sustainable industrial development in the marine environment (“blue growth”).
Seabirds play an important role in marine ecosystems and are among the most threatened birds in the world, partly due to anthropogenic activities. Norway is home to a significant proportion of the world’s seabird populations and therefore has an international responsibility to protect them.
The goal of
MARCIS is to develop a decision support tool for assessing the cumulative
impact of human marine industries on seabirds and migrating land birds in
marine ecosystems.
To achieve this goal, we will:
1. Compile detailed maps of marine
industries and the distribution of seabird populations.
2. Assess the
consequences of offshore wind power plants on seabirds and migratory land birds.
3. Evaluate individual seabird sensitivity to marine activities.
4. Quantify
effects of anthropogenic marine industries on seabird populations.
5. Develop the
decision support tool (web app) allowing users to quantify, and immediately illustrate,
the cumulative impact of marine industries on seabirds.
6. Demonstrate
different scenarios of blue growth co-developed with industry, management and
NGOs in order to improve marine spatial planning and risk assessment. The app
will thus contribute to sustainable development in the marine environment.
The MARCIS study area has been chosen to encompass the Norwegian exclusive economic zone as well as the North Sea.