Modeling Small Scale Impacts of Multi-Purpose Platforms: An Ecosystem Approach

Aquaculture and marine renewable energy are two expanding sectors of the Blue Economy in Europe. Assessing long-term environmental impacts terms eutrophication noise is a priority for both EU Water Framework Directive Marine Strategy Directive, cumulative will be important Maritime Spatial Planning under Integrated Policy. With constant expansion aquaculture production, it expected that farms might established further offshore more remote areas, as high-energy conditions offer an opportunity to generate power locally using Renewable Energy (MRE) devices. A proposed solution co-location MRE devices systems Multi-Purpose Platforms (MPPs) comprising wind turbines (OWTs) provide farm operations well potentially shelter farm. Disentangling impacts, conflicts synergies MPP elements on surrounding ecosystem challenging. Here we created high-resolution spatiotemporal Ecospace model West Scotland, order assess simple configuration how these can cascade through food web. The evaluated following specific responses: (i) top-down control pathways due distribution changes among top-predators (harbor porpoise, gadoids seabirds) driven by attraction farming sites and/or repulsion/killing OWT operations; (ii) bottom-up salmon activity providing increasing benthic enrichment predicated fish particle dispersal model, sediment nutrient fluxes water column early diagenesis organic matter (recycled production). Weak responses food-web were found changes, whilst results showed high sensitivity drivers cascaded from primary producers detritus pelagic consumers, respectively. We assessed each effects ecosystem, discuss capabilities limitations modeling approach potential tool spatial planning impact could have EU’s New Green Deal.