Attraction of harbour porpoises to offshore wind farms: what can be expected?
Haelters, J.; Vigin, L.; Degraer, S. (2013). Attraction of harbour porpoises to offshore wind farms: what can be expected?, in: Degraer, S. et al. (Ed.) Environmental impacts of offshore wind farms in the Belgian part of the North Sea: Learning from the past to optimise future monitoring programmes. pp. 167-171
In: Degraer, S.; Brabant, R.; Rumes, B. (Ed.) (2013). Environmental impacts of offshore wind farms in the Belgian part of the North Sea: Learning from the past to optimise future monitoring programmes. Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS), Operational Directorate Natural Environment, Marine Ecology and Management Section: Brussels. ISBN 978-90-9027-928-2. 239 pp., more
The elusive and highly mobile harbour porpoise is the most abundant cetacean in Belgian waters, seasonally reaching average densities of more than 2 animals/km². Operational wind farms may affect the porpoise habitat in various negative and positive ways, such as through the introduction of possibly deterrent noise or the introduction of artificial substrates with associated porpoise prey fish. Porpoises show concentration areas in Belgium, none of which being linked to the wind farms so far. Because of the spatial resolution being too low, aerial surveys will need to be complemented with targeted passive acoustic monitoring in the future.
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