© OpenStreetMap contributors
- Add External Layer
- Upload Shapefile
- Layer Tutorial
- Close
Use the checkbox () to show or hide a layer.
Use the radio buttons () to select a layer to use with the identify function.
- Layers
- Opacity
Available layers
(ctrl+c)
Search for marine data across UK organisations
- API
- How-To
- How-To
- About
- Contact MEDIN
- Share
Metadata: 2005, Subacoustech, North Hoyle, Measurements of underwater noise during construction and operation of offshore wind farms
Abstract:
The series of studies commissioned by COWRIE Ltd conducted primarily by Subacoustech Ltd, Nedwell et al., and CEFAS between 2003 and 2007, aimed to measure and interpret underwater noise generated during the construction and operation of UK offshore windfarms (including North Hoyle, Scroby Sands, Kentish Flats, Barrow, and Burbo Bank), and to evaluate the potential impacts on marine mammals and fish. Multiple methodologies were employed, including in-situ underwater noise measurements using calibrated hydrophones, behavioral response studies, field transects, environmental modeling, and literature reviews. Findings consistently show that operational windfarm noise is minimal, often indistinguishable from ambient levels and poses negligible risk to marine fauna. In contrast, pile driving during construction produces significantly higher noise levels, creating temporary injury risk zones within a few hundred metres, with effects attenuating rapidly with distance due to environmental factors. Key recommendations include ongoing monitoring, use of frequency- and species-specific metrics (such as dBht), mitigation strategies like acoustic deterrents and soft start procedures during construction, and adherence to defined safety criteria (e.g., 130 dBht for marine mammal protection). The studies support the adequacy of current mitigation guidelines and highlight the importance of contextual noise assessments across varying environments to minimize ecological impacts during offshore windfarm development.
Data holder:
The Crown Estate
| Other details | ||
| Internal code | Internally assigned metadata identifier | 29903 |
| Title | The title is used to provide a brief and precise description of the dataset such as 'Date', 'Originating organisation/programme', 'Location' and 'Type of survey'. All acronyms and abbreviations should be reproduced in full. | 2005, Subacoustech, North Hoyle, Measurements of underwater noise during construction and operation of offshore wind farms |
| Alternative title | The purpose of alternative title is to record any additional names by which the dataset may be known. | Measurements of underwater noise during construction and operation of offshore wind farms |
| File Identifier | The File Identifier is a code, preferably a GUID, that is globally unique and remains with the same metadata record even if the record is edited or transferred between portals or tools. | c9f19c0b-42ea-45e2-aa3e-b429ed5aad99 |
| Resource Identifier | This is the code assigned by the data owner. | TCE-1693 |
| Resource type | The resource type will likely be a dataset but could also be a series (collection of datasets with a common specification) or a service. | series |
| Start date | This describes the date the resource starts. This may only be the year if month and day are not known | 2003-01-01 |
| End date | This describes the date the resource ends. This may only be the year if month and day are not known | 2007-11-23 |
| Frequency of updates | This describes the frequency with which the resource is modified or updated i.e. a monitoring programme that samples once per year has a frequency that is described as 'annually'. | notPlanned |
| Abstract | The abstract provides a clear and brief statement of the content of the resource. | The series of studies commissioned by COWRIE Ltd conducted primarily by Subacoustech Ltd, Nedwell et al., and CEFAS between 2003 and 2007, aimed to measure and interpret underwater noise generated during the construction and operation of UK offshore windfarms (including North Hoyle, Scroby Sands, Kentish Flats, Barrow, and Burbo Bank), and to evaluate the potential impacts on marine mammals and fish. Multiple methodologies were employed, including in-situ underwater noise measurements using calibrated hydrophones, behavioral response studies, field transects, environmental modeling, and literature reviews. Findings consistently show that operational windfarm noise is minimal, often indistinguishable from ambient levels and poses negligible risk to marine fauna. In contrast, pile driving during construction produces significantly higher noise levels, creating temporary injury risk zones within a few hundred metres, with effects attenuating rapidly with distance due to environmental factors. Key recommendations include ongoing monitoring, use of frequency- and species-specific metrics (such as dBht), mitigation strategies like acoustic deterrents and soft start procedures during construction, and adherence to defined safety criteria (e.g., 130 dBht for marine mammal protection). The studies support the adequacy of current mitigation guidelines and highlight the importance of contextual noise assessments across varying environments to minimize ecological impacts during offshore windfarm development. |
| Lineage | Lineage includes the background information, history of the sources of data, data quality statements and methods. | This report presents a further significant body of underwater noise measurements taken in the intervening period at windfarm sites in the UK. Measurements of noise during pile driving, and measurements of operational noise, have been taken. A detailed analysis of the measurements has been made which indicates the properties of the noise. An estimation of the likely behavioural and physical effects on a selection of the most common species of fish and marine mammals is also presented, using both conventional analysis and the dBht (Species) scale. The approach of using both unweighted noise assessment metrics and frequency weightings for representative species of marine animal is consistent with that proposed by other researchers (Madsen 2006, for example). |
| Related keywords | ||
| Keyword | General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Acoustic noise in the water column |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Cetacean behaviour | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Construction monitoring | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Post-Construction monitoring | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Renewable Energy Lease area | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Species distribution | |
| Geographical coverage | ||
| North | The northern-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | 53.831056892066 |
| East | The eastern-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | -3.0136468165418 |
| South | The southern-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | 53.203022695127 |
| West | The western-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | -3.9802186604714 |
| Responsible organisations | ||
| Role | The point of contact is person or organisation with responsibility for the creation and maintenance of the metadata for the resource. | pointOfContact |
| Organisation name | The Crown Estate | |
| enquiries@thecrownestate.co.uk | ||
| Role | The custodian is the person or organisation that accepts responsibility for the resource and ensures appropriate care and maintenance. If a dataset has been lodged with a Data Archive Centre for maintenance then this organisation is be entered here. | custodian |
| Organisation name | The Crown Estate | |
| Phone | +44 020 7851 5000 | |
| enquiries@thecrownestate.co.uk | ||
| Role | The originator is the person or organisation who created, collected or produced the resource. | originator |
| Organisation name | Subacoustech Environmental Ltd. | |
| Phone | +44 (0)1489 892 881 | |
| cowrie@offshorewind.co.uk | ||
| Role | The distributor is the person or organisation that distributes the resource. | distributor |
| Organisation name | The Crown Estate | |
| Phone | +44 020 7851 5000 | |
| enquiries@thecrownestate.co.uk | ||
| Role | The owner is the person or organisation that owns the resource. | owner |
| Organisation name | RWE | |
| support@rwe.com | ||
| Resource locators | ||
| Locator URL | Web address (URL) that links to the resource | https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk/details/TCE-1693/summary |
| Web address (URL) that links to the resource | https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk | |
| Dataset constraints | ||
| 20.1 Limitations on Public Access - Access constraints | This states `otherRestrictions` from ISO vocabulary RestrictionCode and is an INSPIRE/GEMINI requirement. | otherRestrictions |
| 20.2 Limitations on Public Access - Other constraints | There will be no limitations when published on the Marine Data Exchange | |
| 21.1 Conditions for Access and Use - Use constraints | This states `otherRestrictions` from ISO vocabulary RestrictionCode and is an INSPIRE/GEMINI requirement. | otherRestrictions |
| 21.2 Conditions for Access and Use - Other constraints | This states any constraints on use of the data. Multiple conditions can be recorded for different parts of the data resource. If no conditions apply, then `No condtions apply` is recorded. This uses free text. | Data Must be used in accordance to the Marine Data Exchange's Terms of Use: https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk/content/info/terms-of-use |
| Version info | ||
| Date of publication | The publication date of the resource or if previously unpublished the date that the resource was made publicly available via the MEDIN network. | 2023-10-02 |
| Harvest date | The date which this record has been (re)harvested from the provider. | 2026-08-19 |
| Metadata date | The date when the content of this metadata record was last updated. | 2026-08-12 |
| Metadata standard name | The name of the metadata standard used to create this metadata | MEDIN |
| Metadata standard version | The version of the MEDIN Discovery Metadata Standard used to create the metadata record | 3.1.2 |