[MARMAM] Report on potential marine megafauna entanglement risk associated with marine renewable energy developments

[Steven Benjamins]

Dear MARMAM members,
On behalf of my co-authors, I would like to inform you that the following report was just published:

Benjamins, S., Harnois, V., Smith, H.C.M., Johanning, L., Greenhill, L., Carter, C. and Wilson, B. 2014. Understanding the potential for marine megafauna entanglement risk from renewable marine energy developments. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 791 (http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/publications/commissioned_reports/791.pdf). 


This report considers the potential entanglement risk 
to marine megafauna from moored marine renewable energy developments 
(MRE).  Existing information relating to entanglement is reviewed, and a qualitative risk assessment was developed to assess relative risk to 
marine megafauna on the basis of biological (body size, manoeuvrability 
etc.) and physical (mooring characteristics) risk factors.  Results 
suggest that MRE device moorings are unlikely to pose a major threat, 
but that some mooring designs pose a greater relative risk than others.  Recommendations are made to assist developers include relevant 
information in their development applications.
On behalf of my co-authors, I would hereby like to thank all the members of the MARMAM community who responded to our initial requests for information on non-fisheries-related entanglements. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further queries about this report.

Many thanks,

Steven Benjamins

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Dr. Steven Benjamins

Research
Associate in Marine Vertebrate Ecology (PDRA)
SAMS (Scottish
Association for Marine Science)
Oban
Argyll
Scotland
UK
PA37 1QA

Tel: +44(0)1631-559449 (office)
Tel:
+44(0)1631-559000 (switchboard)
Fax: +44(0)1631-559001
E-mail address: Steven.Benjamins at sams.ac.uk
http://www.sams.ac.uk 
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