Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2017-195 Manuscript under review for journal Biogeosciences Discussion started: 14 June 2017 c Author(s) 2017. CC BY 3.0 License. Modelling potential production and environmental effects of macroalgae farms in UK and Dutch coastal waters Johan van der Molen1,2, Piet Ruardij2, Karen Mooney4, Philip Kerrison5, Nessa E. O'Connor4, Emma Gorman4, Klaas Timmermans3, Serena Wright1, Maeve Kelly5, Adam D. Hughes5, Elisa Capuzzo1 5 1The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Lowestoft, NR33 0HT, UK 2NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Dept. of Coastal Systems and Utrecht University, Den Burg, 1797 SZ, The Netherlands 3NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Dept. of Estuarine and Delta Systems and Utrecht University, Yerseke, 4401 NT, The Netherlands 10 4Queen’s University, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK 5The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), Oban, PA37 1QA, UK Correspondence to: Johan van der Molen (
[email protected],
[email protected]) Abstract. There is increasing interest in macroalgae farming in European waters for a range of applications, including food, chemical extraction and as biofuels. This study uses a 3D numerical model of hydrodynamics and biogeochemistry to 15 investigate potential production and environmental effects of macroalgae farming in UK and Dutch coastal waters. The model included four experimental farms in different coastal settings in Strangford Lough (Northern Ireland), in Sound of Kerrera and Lynn of Lorne (northwest Scotland), and in the Rhine Plume (The Netherlands), as well as a hypothetical large- scale farm off the UK north Norfolk coast.