MONELIA - Monitoring seabirds on the Elia energy island (EVINBO)
Lesser black-backed gull (photo Yves Adams - Vildaphoto)
Details
Elia, the Belgian electricity transmission system operator, is to build an island in the Belgian part of the North Sea. The so-called Princess Elisabeth Island is an extension of the electricity grid, connecting offshore wind farms to the mainland and establishing new connections with foreign countries. A monitoring condition was attached to the construction of the offshore energy island in the Habitat Directive area ‘Flemish Banks’ in the environmental permit. INBO monitoring will map the environmental impact of the construction, operation and decommissioning of the energy island. Part of this programme measures the impact on seabirds. In this we foresee two parts: examining possible disturbance effects, and examining the presence and behaviour of (sea) birds on and around the island. Using counts from ships, observations with fixed cameras and possibly GPS and radar techniques, we study whether the Princess Elisabeth platform has a disturbing or attracting effect on seabirds.| Status | Running |
|---|---|
| Actual start/end date | 01/01/2024 - 30/12/2028 |
Teams
INBO Research theme(s)
- Protected nature
- Water
Tags
- energy
- monitoring
- offshore
- platform
- seabirds