Wind Power: Marine Environment
(asked on 15th June 2026) - View Source
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of evidence indicating damage to marine life caused by offshore windfarms and whether they will commission further research into this area.
Answered by
Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
All Offshore Wind developments are subject to stringent assessment of their environmental impacts through the consenting process, including Environmental Impact Assessments, Habitats Regulations Assessments and Marine Conservation Zone Assessments.
Where a development may impact protected marine features, the ‘compensation hierarchy’ must be followed where impacts must firstly be avoided then mitigated. If impacts remain after these two stages, suitable environmental compensatory measures are then required as part of the development consenting process.
More broadly, Defra supports research to improve the evidence base on the environmental impact of offshore wind including by partnerships with The Crown Estate and the Offshore Wind Industry Council.