Complementary Benefits of Alternative Energy: Suitability of Offshore Wind Farms as Aquaculture Sites

Summary

The large scale growth in salmon production in the UK has resulted in most available near shore finfish sites being used up for finfish farming. The development of offshore sites or technology improvements alone hold the key for the sustained growth of the UK aquaculture industry. The offshore wind industry has been rapidly expanding in the UK and will occupy major amount of coastal offshore space when zoning plans are developed. The prospects for using the offshore wind farm areas for aquaculture production (finfish and other species) has the potential to open up new sites for finfish farming in the UK. This work examined the suitability of aquaculture in offshore wind farms from the point of view of all the stakeholders involved.

Author

• Professor Laurence Mee

Publication Reference No.

10517

Publication date

01 April 2006