Marine

  • The power of MRSea

    4th December 2017 by

    Renewable energy from offshore wind, wave and tidal stream developments is a key component of the Scottish Governments’ ambitions for creating a low carbon economy that contributes to action on climate change. However, concern exists over the potential for such marine developments to negatively impact seabirds, marine mammals, and other protected species or habitats. A…

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  • Meet our scientists – Dr Coby Needle

    21st November 2017 by

    Today is World Fisheries Day, so what better day to introduce you to our Sea Fisheries Programme Manager, Dr Coby Needle! Who are you and what do you do? I am Dr Coby Needle, and for the past two (and a bit) years I have been the Sea Fisheries Programme Manager at Marine Scotland Science,…

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  • Maximising the benefits of future large scale tidal and wave energy developments

    3rd November 2017 by

    Marine renewable energy is an important component of the Scottish Government’s vision for the future and will help the government reach its climate change objectives. In response to this, a three-year project, EcoWatt2050, was created to investigate how we can ensure that the benefits of future large scale tidal and wave energy developments can be…

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  • Meet our scientists – Dr Ian Davies

    24th October 2017 by

    Who are you and what do you do? I am Ian Davies, and I am Programme Manager for the Renewables and Energy Programme. There are two Groups in the Programme; one whose main job is to act as advisers to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) on chemical discharge from the offshore…

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  • ECOMMAS makes some more noise

    17th October 2017 by

    The East Coast Marine Mammal Acoustics Study (ECOMMAS) is a long-term, on-going study into how underwater noise generated by offshore industry impacts the distribution of dolphins and porpoises in Scottish coastal waters of the North Sea. Acoustic recorders (C-PODs and SM2Ms) are deployed at 30 sites across 10 locations along the east coast, extending from…

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  • Predicting the impact of underwater noise on marine mammals

    13th October 2017 by

    Marine mammals, such as seals and dolphins, are sensitive to underwater noise and other disturbances which can affect their ability to forage or communicate. Our understanding of the effects of these pressures on marine mammal, and of how to assess and quantify potential impacts on populations, is rapidly evolving. One tool that can be used…

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  • Model Movements

    12th October 2017 by

    This morning, Marine Scotland has published a report on approaches for modelling harbour seal movement. This type of information is important because it may be able to help predict the consequences of environmental change, such as the establishment and operation of marine renewable energy, on the distribution and movement of seal populations. The work, undertaken by the…

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  • Scottish Plans inspire Canada

    6th September 2017 by

    Scotland is well placed to take a global lead in the exploitation of marine renewable energy, boasting a substantial resource potential estimated at 25% of Europe’s tidal resource, 25% of its offshore wind resource and 10% of its wave potential. In order to sustainably develop the offshore marine renewable energy industry in Scottish waters, Marine…

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  • New report published about bird and mammal displacement with wave and tidal energy devices

    13th June 2017 by

    As the offshore marine renewables industry grows, understanding the way that marine species may respond to the installation and operation of wave and tidal energy devices is of particular importance. Recently, extensive research and effort has gone into furthering our understanding of potential implications of deploying these devices into Scottish waters. However, several questions still…

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  • Refining Estimates of Collision Risk for Harbour Seals and Tidal Turbines

    15th November 2016 by

    As the offshore marine renewables industry grows, understanding the way that marine mammals, interact with these are of particular importance. This is especially true of tidal devices, and one particular concern is the risk of collision between marine wildlife and rotating turbine blades below the sea surface. This is a particular issue for harbour seals…

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