Co-locate aquaculture systems with other activities and other infrastructures (such as wind farms) to maximise use of marine space

Overall effectiveness category No evidence found (no assessment)
Number of studies: 0
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How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

not assessed
Certainty

not assessed
Harms

not assessed

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

Aquaculture systems can negatively impact invertebrate subtidal communities through damages to the seabed, pollution, or spread of non-native species (Wu et al. 1994). Some of these threats are also commonly associated with other anthropogenic activities or infrastructures, such as oil rigs and wind farms (Gimpel et al. 2015; Inger et al. 2009). By co-locating aquaculture systems with these activities and infrastructure, the cumulative negative impacts can be spatially limited and constrained in extent, therefore potentially preventing their occurrence elsewhere, or allowing recovery in the case of relocation. Marine spatial planning can help with identifying suitable area for the occurrence of multiple complex activities (Douvere 2008; Inger et al. 2009). Evidence for interventions related to aquaculture relocation are summarised under “Threat: Pollution – Locate aquaculture systems in already impacted areas”, “Locate artificial reefs near aquaculture systems to act as biofilters”, and “Habitat restoration and creation – Locate artificial reefs near aquaculture systems to benefit from nutrient run-offs”.

_{Douvere F. (2008) The importance of marine spatial planning in advancing ecosystem-based sea use management. Marine Policy, 32, 762–771.}

_{Gimpel A., Stelzenmüller V., Grote B., Buck B.H., Floeter J., Núñez-Riboni I., Pogoda B. & Temming A. (2015) A GIS modelling framework to evaluate marine spatial planning scenarios: Co-location of offshore wind farms and aquaculture in the German EEZ. Marine Policy, 55, 102–115.}

_{Inger R., Attrill M.J., Bearhop S., Broderick A.C., Grecian W.J., Hodgson D.J., Mills C., Sheehan E., Votier S.C., Witt M.J. & Godley B.J. (2009) Marine renewable energy: potential benefits to biodiversity? An urgent call for research. Journal of Applied Ecology, 46,1145–1153.}

_{Wu R.S.S., Lam K.S., MacKay D.W., Lau T.C. & Yam V. (1994) Impact of marine fish farming on water quality and bottom sediment: A case study in the sub-tropical environment. Marine Environmental Research, 38, 115–145.}

Key messages

We found no studies that evaluated the effects of limiting the number and/or extent of, or prohibit additional, renewable energy installations in an area on subtidal benthic invertebrate populations.

‘We found no studies’ means that we have not yet found any studies that have directly evaluated this intervention during our systematic journal and report searches. Therefore, we have no evidence to indicate whether or not the intervention has any desirable or harmful effects.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Please cite as:

Lemasson, A.J., Pettit, L.R., Smith, R.K. & Sutherland, W.J. (2020) Subtidal Benthic Invertebrate Conservation. Pages 635-732 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, S.O. Petrovan & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2020. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Subtidal Benthic Invertebrate Conservation

Related Actions

	Actions	Effectiveness	Studies	Category
	Co-locate aquaculture systems with other activities and other infrastructures (such as wind farms) to maximise use of marine space Action Link	No evidence found (no assessment)	0	Synopsis Link
	Limit the number and/or extent of, or prohibit additional, renewable energy installations in an area Action Link	No evidence found (no assessment)	0	Synopsis Link