Ornithology chapter Table of Contents ORNITHOLOGY CHAPTER 1 11 ORNITHOLOGY 11-4 11.1 Introduction 11-4 11.2 Legislative framework and policy context 11-5 11.3 Scoping and consultation 11-6 11.4 Baseline description 11-7 11.4.1 Introduction 11-7 11.4.2 Regional populations 11-12 11.4.3 Vulnerability to impacts 11-13 11.4.4 Nature conservation value 11-14 11.4.5 Species accounts 11-15 11.4.6 Data gaps and uncertainties 11-25 11.5 Impact assessment 11-26 11.5.1 Overview 11-26 11.5.2 Assessment criteria 11-27 11.5.3 Design envelope 11-28 11.5.4 Data gaps and uncertainties 11-29 11.6 Impacts during construction and installation 11-29 11.6.1 Vessel disturbance 11-29 11.6.2 Accidental release of contaminants 11-31 11.7 Impacts during operation and maintenance 11-32 11.7.1 Vessel disturbance 11-32 11.7.2 Accidental release of contaminants 11-32 11.7.3 Displacement by structures 11-33 11.7.4 Collision risk 11-35 11.7.5 Barrier effect 11-37 11.7.6 Indirect effects on seabird prey 11-39 11.8 Potential variances in environmental impacts 11-39 11.9 Cumulative and in-combination impacts 11-39 11.9.1 Potential cumulative and in-combination impacts during construction and installation 11-40 11.9.2 Potential cumulative and in-combination impacts during operation and maintenance 11-40 11.9.3 Mitigation requirements for potential cumulative and in-combination impacts 11-45 11.10 Habitats Regulations Appraisal 11-45 11.11 Monitoring 11-46 11.12 References 11-46 Hywind Scotland Pilot Park Project – Environmental Statement Assignment Number: A100142-S35 Document Number: A-100142-S35-EIAS-001-005 iii 11 ORNITHOLOGY The installation and operation of five floating wind turbines has potential to impact on seabirds primarily through indirect habitat loss caused by disturbance and displacement, and through additional mortality caused by collision with turbine rotors and small-scale accidental pollution incidents. Baseline surveys showed that a range of common seabird species forage in and pass through the turbine deployment area and its vicinity. The Project area is regularly used by 13 seabird species and for eight of these species the Project area lies within the foraging range of breeding colonies in the region. For most species and at most times of year the abundance of these species in the area potentially affected by the Project was low or very low in the context of their population size. However during the breeding season the Project area has relatively high importance for breeding guillemots and razorbill. The Project area is also used by moderate numbers of four species considered to have a relatively high vulnerability to collision risk, namely gannet, herring gull, great black- backed gull and kittiwake. With one exception, predictions of the size and duration of potential impacts shows that for all species for all times of year effects would have negligible impact on receptor populations. The exception is razorbill, for which a potential disturbance effect of low impact for the breeding population is identified owing to the very high densities sometimes present in August, a period when individuals of this species has heightened vulnerability to disturbance. This impact is nevertheless judged not significant. Collision mortality was predicted for species that commonly fly at rotor height using a range of modelling scenarios. This showed that the predicted additional mortality was negligible compared to the numbers of birds that die from existing background mortality causes. The Project has multiple embedded measures to minimise the risk of accidental pollution incidents. The potential for the impacts arising from the Project to act cumulatively with other offshore wind projects in eastern Scotland is considered. This shows that there is negligible potential for the impacts from the Project to materially add to the combined impacts from other wind farms. This is mainly because the Hywind array would comprise only 0.7% (5 out 677) of the offshore wind turbines currently consented or proposed in the waters off the east coast of Scotland. 11.1 Introduction This chapter assesses the impacts of the Project on ornithology. To quantify spatial and temporal variation, ornithology interests are described at both a local and wider regional level in order to provide context to the baseline. Key lifecycle stages such as chick-rearing and moulting in auk species are given particular prominence. By characterising the existing environment the potential ecological impacts arising from the development can be identified and assessed. A number of different specialists have contributed to this assessment. Natural Research (Projects) Ltd (NRP) – European Seabird at Sea (ESAS) surveys, ESAS survey reporting; technical assessment, baseline description, impact assessment, ES chapter write up; Caloo Ecological Services – Survey design, statistical analysis and collision risk modelling; and Xodus – contributions to ES chapter write up. The table below provides a list of the supporting studies which relate to the ornithology impact assessment. Supporting studies are provided on the accompanying CD. Hywind Scotland Pilot Park Project – Environmental Statement Assignment Number: A100142-S35 Document Number: A-100142-S35-EIAS-001-005 11-4 Table 11-1 Supporting studies Details of study Baseline survey study design. Hywind Scotland Pilot Park Project Seabird Discussion Document (Xodus, 2013) Baseline survey methods, results and context information. Report on ESAS Surveys June 2013 to May 2014 and context information (NRP 2015) And containing supporting annexes: Annex 1. Seabird Distance Sampling for Hywind Scotland Pilot Park Project (Caloo Ecological Services, 2014a) Annex 2. Seabird Collision Rate Modelling Hywind Scotland Pilot Park Project (Caloo Ecological Services, 2014b) Annex 3. Seabird Distance Sampling for Hywind Scotland Pilot Park Project, additional surveys (Caloo Ecological Services, 2014c) Alternative density, abundance and collision mortality estimates (Caloo Ecological Services, 2014d) The proposed approach to collision risk modelling with respect to seabirds for the Hywind II floating turbine project off Eastern Scotland (Caloo Ecological Services, 2014e) To gain a better overall understanding of the baseline and potential impacts associated with ornithology, consideration is given to the following ES chapters: Fish Ecology (Chapter 10); and Commercial Fisheries (Chapter 14). The focus of this impact assessment is to assess potential impacts on birds using the Project area and adjacent waters. There is variation in the area over which impacts occur and this area can vary significantly between species depending on their behaviour and range over which their populations can be found. Therefore, potential impacts have been set in the context of a wider regional area over which birds encountered within the Project area are thought to range and in the context of the regional populations to which species belong. The baseline descriptions for each species have therefore provided data as appropriate for the species and further details on the areas used is provided in the baseline description. In order to establish those bird species present in the turbine deployment area European Seabird at Sea (ESAS) surveys were commissioned. The surveys commenced prior to the award of the AfL and the decision on where the WTG Units will be deployed in the AfL, therefore the survey area comprised the previously awarded Exclusivity Area with a buffer of 3 km. The following areas are referred to in this impact assessment: Project area (see Figure 11.1), which comprises: o Proposed offshore turbine deployment area: and o Export cable corridor and landfall. Survey area –The Exclusivity Area with a buffer of 3 km. WT + 1 km – the locations of the wind turbine with a buffer of 1 km. 11.2 Legislative framework and policy context An integral aspect of the assessment of potential impacts on ornithology is the identification of species of conservation importance in the Project area and assessment of potential impacts on such species. There are a number of different statutes and guidance that are relevant in this regard these are listed below: In addition to the EIA Regulations, key legislation for ornithological interest includes: Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 (as amended in Scotland) and the Offshore Marine Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 2007 which implement species protection requirements of the EU Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and Wild Birds Directive (2009/147/EC); Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended); and Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004. Hywind Scotland Pilot Park Project – Environmental Statement Assignment Number: A100142-S35 Document Number: A-100142-S35-EIAS-001-005 11-5 The Habitats Regulations, implement the requirements of the EU Wild Birds Directive in the UK and aims to provide a comprehensive scheme of protection for all wild bird species naturally occurring in the EU. To meet the requirements outlined in Article 4 of the Birds Directive, particular emphasis is given to the protection of habitat for rare (i.e. as listed under Annex I) as well as migratory species via the establishment of a coherent network of Special Protection Areas (SPAs) comprising the most important territories for these species. Plans or projects which are likely to have a significant impact on an SPA (and other European sites) either individually or in combination with other plans or projects (and are not connected with the management of the site) are subject to an ‘appropriate assessment’ under Article 6(3) of the EC Habitats Directive. The Habitats Directive is transposed into Scottish legislation through the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 (as amended) and the Offshore Marine Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 2007. The Wildlife and Countryside Act (WCA) protects wildlife within the terrestrial environment and inshore waters (0-12 nm) within Great Britain. Amendments to the legislation, such as the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 have altered the application of the WCA within Scotland.