Difference between revisions of "Portal:MERMAID/North Sea - Wadden Sea"

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Two potential off-shore sites characterized by active morphology are proposed, one in the southern North Sea and a second one in the Wadden Sea.
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==Introduction study site==
  
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A number of pilot facilities of Seed Mussel Capture Devices have been developed in the Wadden Sea by 'Stichting Dienst Landbouwkundig Onderzoek' (DLO) and partners in order to assess optimal configuration, stocking densities and materials for devices. Concurrently, seaweed culture pilots are under development in the Wadden sea and the North Sea by Hortimare BV (HORT), Deltares and partners, to assess optimal design and boundary conditions for seaweed culture systems.
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{|border="0,7" cellspacing="1" width="600px" align="center"
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! colspan=2 style="background:#008B8B"|<span style="color:white;"> '''<big>North Sea Site Factsheet</big>'''</span>
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|-
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''Geographical location''' </span>
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''[[North Sea]], north of the Netherlands (Gemini project)''' </span>
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|-
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|-
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''Offshore distance''' </span>
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''55 km''' </span>
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|-
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|-
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''Depth''' </span>
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''29.5 - 33.4 m''' </span>
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|-
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|-
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''Substrate''' </span>
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''Mainly sand (some thin clay layers)''' </span>
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|-
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|-
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''Water temperature''' </span>
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''2 - 20°C''' </span>
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|-
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|-
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''Salinity''' </span>
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''32.5 - 35.0 psu''' </span>
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|-
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|-
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''Current magnitude''' </span>
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''0 - 0.6 m/s''' </span>
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|-
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|-
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''Mean tidal range''' </span>
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''Approximately 2 m''' </span>
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|-
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|-
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''Significant wave height''' </span>
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''Generally lower than 2.1 m''' </span>
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|-
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|-
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''Extreme wave height''' </span>
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''10 m (1/50 yrs.)''' </span>
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|-
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|-
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''Average wind speed''' </span>
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| style="background:#00CED1"|<span style="color:white;"> '''10 m/s''' </span>
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|-
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|}
  
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These pilots will provide essential data on impacts of seaweed and mussel culture systems on flow and waves, and carrying capacity in the Wadden Sea and North Sea, as well as on site specific ecological impacts on benthic and pelagic communities and water quality. This data will feed into further hydrodynamic analyses for structures in the Wadden Sea.
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==Combination User Functions & Design==
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In addition to wind energy, the combination with the following potential secondary functions will be studied and assessed:
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* Seaweed farming: Seaweed will increasingly gain importance as a raw material and is currently already imported by Dutch companies from Asia and France. The most relevant benefit of local cultivation is the possibility to offer wet seaweed on the market.
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* Shellfish aquaculture: The shellfish industry is looking for additional fishing grounds for mussel seed collectors and cultivation of mussels on longlines. An additional market for 50,000 tonnes of blue mussels is expected.
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* Wave energy extraction: Wave energy may be an option; however, the first studies reveal limited energy production potential.
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A modular approach will be used for the structures for seaweed and shellfish cultivation,
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enabling an easy extension of the activities. These structures will be located inside and outside the offshore wind farm and will not be connected to the turbines. An alternation of seaweed and shellfish structures is envisaged. Fish farming is not feasible in this study site due to the high temperature (> 18°C in summer) and the relatively shallow water (30 m).
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[[File:north sea site.jpg|600px|thumbnail|center|An artist's impression of the multi-use platform which was conceptualized in the framework of the MERMAID project for the study site in the North Sea - Wadden Sea.]]
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==Outlook & Challenges==
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In the future the multi-use platform may be extended to other user functions such as facilities for energy storage, tourism (recreational fisheries and diving trips) and fisheries (passive fishing gear).
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Some of the key challenges that deserve further study are: the design of the seaweed/mussel farming system within the offshore wind farm (integration of the two types of aquaculture, design of harvesting equipment, etc.), the ecological challenges linked to aquaculture activities (e.g. risk assessment of environmental impact and the mitigation of diseases) and evaluation of the environmental and socio-economic benefits of this multi-use platform.
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The operational challenges of this study site include the relatively high distance to the nearest main port (85 km) and the extreme wave heights which may occur during storms.
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{{mermaid}}
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[[Category:North Sea]]

Latest revision as of 09:23, 10 August 2019

Introduction study site

North Sea Site Factsheet
Geographical location North Sea, north of the Netherlands (Gemini project)
Offshore distance 55 km
Depth 29.5 - 33.4 m
Substrate Mainly sand (some thin clay layers)
Water temperature 2 - 20°C
Salinity 32.5 - 35.0 psu
Current magnitude 0 - 0.6 m/s
Mean tidal range Approximately 2 m
Significant wave height Generally lower than 2.1 m
Extreme wave height 10 m (1/50 yrs.)
Average wind speed 10 m/s


Combination User Functions & Design

In addition to wind energy, the combination with the following potential secondary functions will be studied and assessed:

  • Seaweed farming: Seaweed will increasingly gain importance as a raw material and is currently already imported by Dutch companies from Asia and France. The most relevant benefit of local cultivation is the possibility to offer wet seaweed on the market.
  • Shellfish aquaculture: The shellfish industry is looking for additional fishing grounds for mussel seed collectors and cultivation of mussels on longlines. An additional market for 50,000 tonnes of blue mussels is expected.
  • Wave energy extraction: Wave energy may be an option; however, the first studies reveal limited energy production potential.

A modular approach will be used for the structures for seaweed and shellfish cultivation, enabling an easy extension of the activities. These structures will be located inside and outside the offshore wind farm and will not be connected to the turbines. An alternation of seaweed and shellfish structures is envisaged. Fish farming is not feasible in this study site due to the high temperature (> 18°C in summer) and the relatively shallow water (30 m).

An artist's impression of the multi-use platform which was conceptualized in the framework of the MERMAID project for the study site in the North Sea - Wadden Sea.


Outlook & Challenges

In the future the multi-use platform may be extended to other user functions such as facilities for energy storage, tourism (recreational fisheries and diving trips) and fisheries (passive fishing gear).

Some of the key challenges that deserve further study are: the design of the seaweed/mussel farming system within the offshore wind farm (integration of the two types of aquaculture, design of harvesting equipment, etc.), the ecological challenges linked to aquaculture activities (e.g. risk assessment of environmental impact and the mitigation of diseases) and evaluation of the environmental and socio-economic benefits of this multi-use platform.

The operational challenges of this study site include the relatively high distance to the nearest main port (85 km) and the extreme wave heights which may occur during storms.

Mermaidlogo.jpg
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