The primary objective of MARE-WIND is to investigate the ecological and societal impacts of offshore wind farms (OFWs) on marine ecosystems, with a focus on how siting, operation and decommissioning processes influence these effects. We aim to provide critical insights into how OFWs transform biodiversity, trophic dynamics, and contaminant transfer. In parallel, we will assess how integrating ecosystem health and societal needs into OWFs planning can reduce community and political resistance, ultimately supporting more sustainable and publicly accepted offshore wind development. VLIZ and UGent will collaborate on investigating how electromagnetic fields from OWF subsea power cables affect biodiversity movement patterns and behavior of marine species.
