Marine developments have the potential to impact on salmon during construction and operation. Marine developments include offshore renewable construction and associated activities, harbour developments and other construction-related activity both inshore and offshore.

Marine developments have the potnetial to impact migratory fish through both direct and indirect impacts, during both the construction and operation phase of developments. Such impacts might include noise, vibration effects, dredging or potentially generation of electro-magnetic fields through cables. In the specific case of tidal energy developments, physical damage through changes in pressure or contact with turbine blades are also an important consideration. The risk of such impacts for wild fish is dependent on the size of the development, the timing of works, and the proximity of the development to migratory pathways.

What are we doing?
Fisheries Management Scotland supports, and works with, our members in responding to strategic consultations and licensing applications for new and expanding developments. In this case of smaller-scale, more localised developments, such as harbour works or localised dredging, this casework is led by the local district salmon fishery board or fisheries trust. In the case of large-scale marine renewable developments, which have the potential to impact migratory fish from a number of rivers, this work is led by Fisheries Management Scotland at a national level.

Fisheries Management Scotland is a member of the Scottish Marine Energy Research Diadromous Fish Specialist Receptor Group, which is concerned with identifying and addressing evidence gaps related to the health, distribution, and impacts on migratory fish. The group has produced an evidence map to identify and prioritise these evidence gaps.

Fisheries Management Scotland is a member of the Moray Firth Regional Advisory Group and the Forth and Tay Regional Advisory Group. These groups have been set up to ensure that appropriate and effective monitoring of the impacts of the developments are undertaken to satisfy the requirements of the appropriate consent and licence conditions.