Page 138 - Alderney Regional Environmental Assessment of Renewable Energy: Environmental Report

Alderney Regional Environmental Assessment of Renewable Energy:
Environmental Report
and sperm whale, were recorded. The amount of survey effort varied between sub-
regions; 15.9% of effort was in the western English Channel and western approaches,
54.6% in the northern Bay, and 29.5% in the southern Bay (Kiszka et al. 2007).
ƒ Survey of harbour Porpoise in the English Channel: Marine Conservation Research
International (MCRI) and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) carried out a
visual and acoustic survey for harbour porpoises between May and June 2011 from
IFAW’s research vessel, Song of the Whale. A total of 4243 km track line was
completed, with 2749 km “on track” with at least acoustic effort (Marine Conservation
Research International, 2011).
ƒ Atlas of Cetacean Distribution in North West European Waters: Comprehensive
information on cetacean distribution in North West European waters is presented in
Reid et al. (2003). This report provides a compilation of cetacean sighting records
from a variety of systematic surveys and opportunistic sightings amounting to over
2,500 days of observation carried out since 1973.
ƒ Offshore Energy Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA): Detailed reviews of
marine mammal distribution and ecology in UK waters have also been carried out by
the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU), University of St. Andrews, as a contribution
to the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) Offshore Energy
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) (DECC, 2009).
ƒ Towards Marine Protected Areas for Cetaceans in Scotland, England and Wales: The
WDCS (Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society) additionally undertook a review
identifying critical habitat for cetaceans to help highlight potential Marine Protected
Areas (MPAs) for cetacean species (Clark et al. 2010).
ƒ Special Committee on Seals Annual Report: Information on the status of seals around
the UK coast is reported annually by the SMRU-advised Special Committee on Seals
(SCOS) (SCOS, 2012).
ƒ Status of grey seals along mainland Europe from the Southwestern Baltic to France: A
review on the status of grey seals in terms of distribution, population sizes and growth
rates from the Baltic to France (Härkönen et al. 2007).
ƒ Harbour seals distribution and abundance in France and Belgium: A review of the
known geographical distribution and abundance in France and Belgium (Hassani et al,
2010)
Of particular relevance are a number of recent monitoring and survey projects which have been
undertaken specifically in the Channel Islands and Gulf of St Malo area. These data sources
include the following:
ƒ OpenHydro Subsea Tidal Array Installation Seabird and Marine Mammal Monitoring:
Marine mammal and seabird monitoring undertaken as part of the OpenHydro Subsea
Tidal Array Installation (ARE, 2009; Entec UK Limited, 2007).
ƒ Seabird and marine mammal baseline survey within the south east region of Alderney:
Alderney Wildlife Trust Enterprises Ltd was commissioned in 2010 by Alderney
Commission for Renewable Energy to undertake a seabird and marine mammal survey
located within Longis Bay and associated areas (Alderney Wildlife Enterprise, 2011).
ƒ Channel Sea Marine Mammal Sighting Network: Sightings network created by the
Cotentin Cetacean Study Group (GECC) to better understand marine mammal
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