c9f19c0b-42ea-45e2-aa3e-b429ed5aad99 English series series 2026-08-12T12:49:06 MEDIN 3.1.2 biota oceans Acoustic noise in the water column SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary 2026-06-19 revision Cetacean behaviour SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary 2026-06-19 revision Construction monitoring The Crown Estate Renewable Energy Development Phases 2012-05-15 revision Post-Construction monitoring The Crown Estate Renewable Energy Development Phases 2012-05-15 revision Renewable Energy Lease area The Crown Estate Renewable Energy Development Areas 2012-05-15 revision Species distribution GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2009-07-31 revision SeaDataNet sea areas 2012-11-07 revision Irish Sea and St. George's Channel SeaVoX Vertical Co-ordinate Coverages 2020-05-21 revision water column 2003-01-01T00:00:00 2007-11-23T00:00:00 -3.98021866047141 -3.01364681654179 53.2030226951271 53.8310568920665 TCE-1693 Marine Data Exchange 2005, Subacoustech, North Hoyle, Measurements of underwater noise during construction and operation of offshore wind farms Measurements of underwater noise during construction and operation of offshore wind farms 2023-10-02T16:21:24 publication English 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. There will be no limitations when published on the Marine Data Exchange otherRestrictions 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 otherRestrictions The Crown Estate +44 020 7851 5000 enquiries@thecrownestate.co.uk custodian Subacoustech Environmental Ltd. +44 (0)1489 892 881 cowrie@offshorewind.co.uk originator The Crown Estate +44 020 7851 5000 enquiries@thecrownestate.co.uk distributor RWE support@rwe.com owner notPlanned Documents https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk/details/TCE-1693/summary A link to the web service or dataset. https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk A link to the general host site. Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services 2010-12-08T00:00:00 publication Conformity with the Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 was either not relevant to this dataset or not a requirement of the Marine Data Exchange for the creation and submission of this dataset; therefore, conformity has not been assessed and cannot be declared False series 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). The Crown Estate enquiries@thecrownestate.co.uk pointOfContact EPSG Geodetic Parameter Registry 2022-11-29 revision WGS 84