Brief description
This project undertook a review of existing environmental literature and data on threatened and migratory marine species data to inform the sustainable development of Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) projects (primarily wind) in Australia. A list of priority species and species of secondary importance were identified by the project together with stakeholders from DCCEEW and NOPSEMA. This list comprised of 100 species of birds, cetaceans, bony fish, sharks, pinnipeds and marine turtles. A literature search was undertaken for each species using a systematic approach detailed in the 'Lineage' section of this record. Each publication was assessed for whether the study location was within or near the ORE area and an attribute populated to indicate the ORE area(s) overlapped. Studies with spatial coverages not overlapping the ORE area were still retained if they were located nearby the ORE area, for species with poorly-defined distributions (e.g. short-finned pilot whales), or for migratory coastal birds that may use the ORE area as migration corridors. The potential impacts of ORE infrastructure and operation for each species was noted from a controlled list of potential impacts. The main topic of the study, and the methodologies used in the study, were also recorded, along with the general spatial location(s) of the study and the publication citation. The resultant inventory serves as a comprehensive record of existing publications associated with priority species potentially at risk from ORE developments, along with the nature of the potential impact. The inventory is intended to provide research information and methods for use in the planning, development, operation, and decommissioning phases of the offshore wind sector. The dataset attached to this record provides a spatial index of of all publications identified through this inventory process. Observation data each of the species were additionally compiled from BirdLife Australia, Atlas of Living Australia (ALA), Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS), Victorian Biodiversity Atlas Victorian Biodiversity Atlas (VBA), and GlobalArchive (a repository of stereo-video annotations data). These data are freely available to download from each of the source repositories.Lineage
Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned
Statement: A systematic approach was used to compile the inventory of publication for ORE priority species and and species of secondary importance using the following steps:
• A literature was conducted for each species by:
i) using the online Species Profile and Threat (SPRAT) database;
ii) cross-checking literature from NESP Project 3.21;
iii) using Google Scholar with the search term of ‘species Latin name’, ‘species common name’, and “Australia”’; and
iv) using project team knowledge.
• Each publication was assessed (by eye) for whether the study locations were within or near ORE areas, and the nature of the overlap(s) was recorded.
• The following information was extracted for each study: general study location, Australian state(s), primary study topic/theme, primary methodology, dataset citation.
Methodology was scored as one or more of: vessel survey, aerial survey, land survey, telemetry, satellite imagery, PAM, BRUVs, UAV, towed camera, genetics, behavioural observations, and/or Other.
The main study subject was scored as one or more of: threats/disturbance, distribution/movement behaviour/habitat utilisation, population abundance/density/temporal trends/monitoring, population structure/genetic connectivity/sub-speciation, diet/foraging ecology/feeding behaviour, behaviour, pathogens/disease, physiology.
• The potential impacts of ORE for each species was noted by selecting one or more of: ‘collision with turbines’, ‘habitat change’, ‘trophic cascades’, ‘barrier effects/displacement’, ‘vessel strike/disturbance’, ‘noise disturbance’, ‘light pollution’, ‘electromagnetic field’, and ‘pollution’.
The literature search was completed in January 2024 and only includes publication up until this date. It focused on more current publications (~last 10 years) if data sources were numerous and is therefore not exhaustive. For species were fewer data sources were available, older publications were included. In some specific cases such as whaling literature (<1900s) for priority cetacean species, whaling information was included to indicate potential offshore species distributions within the nearby ORE areas.
Notes
CreditNational Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine and Coastal Hub
Credit
This research was made possible by a large collaboration between a number of Australian research organisations, industry, state and federal government departments, and regulatory bodies. Please see the associated Final Project Report for the full list of contributors.
This research was made possible by a large collaboration between a number of Australian research organisations, industry, state and federal government departments, and regulatory bodies. Please see the associated Final Project Report for the full list of contributors.
Issued: 29 09 2024
Data time period: 1980-01-01 to 2024-01-31
Subjects
ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES |
BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION |
BIRDS |
COASTAL |
Cetaceans |
DATA DISCOVERY |
EARTH SCIENCE |
EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES |
ECONOMIC RESOURCES |
ENERGY PRODUCTION/USE |
Elasmobranchs |
HUMAN DIMENSIONS |
MAMMALS |
MARINE ECOSYSTEMS |
MARINE ENVIRONMENT MONITORING |
METADATA HANDLING |
Macroalgae |
OCEANS |
Offshore renewable energy (ORE) |
Pinnipeds |
Seabirds |
WIND ENERGY PRODUCTION/USE |
biota |
data inventory |
ecologically sustainable development |
environment |
environmental impact assessment |
marine mammals |
marine turtles |
oceans |
offshore wind energy |
structure |
threatened, endangered and protected species |
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Other Information
global : e39a7af3-0c0e-4f32-bfc3-9f720b5d1171
Identifiers
- DOI : 10.25959/DX2N-B251
- global : 75e86fa1-28de-4b9e-9987-70bec506c4fa
