A Comparison of Fishes and Invertebrates Living in the Vicinity of Energized and Unenergized Submarine Power Cables and Natural Sea Floor off Southern California, USA

Abstract

Increasing reliance on deep-water renewable energy has increased concerns about the effects of the electromagnetic fields (EMFs) generated by submarine power cables on aquatic organisms. Off southern California, we conducted surveys of marine organisms living around energized and unenergized submarine power cables and nearby sea floor during 2012-2014 at depths between 76 and 213 m. In general, EMFs declined to background levels about one meter from the cable. We found no statistical difference in species composition between the fish assemblages along the energized and unenergized cables. The natural habitat community statistically differed from both energized and unenergized cable communities. Within species (or species groups), we found no differences in densities between energized and unenergized cables. Total fish densities were significantly higher around the cables than over the natural habitat. We found that invertebrate communities were structured by habitat type and depth and, similar to the fishes, there was no statistical difference between the energized and unenergized cables. Individually, the densities of four invertebrate species or species groups (Metridium farcimen, Luidia spp., unidentified black Crinoidea, and Urticina spp.) differed between energized and unenergized cables, but this difference was not significant across all depth strata. The invertebrate community inhabiting the natural habitat strongly differed from the energized and unenergized cable community exhibiting the fewest species and individuals.

Slow Mill pilot Texel Passende Beoordeling Wet natuurbescherming

“…Hieronder wordt ingegaan op de bevindingen van acht publicaties die de potentiele effecten van EMF op vissen hebben onderzocht (Gill et al, 2012;Woodruff et al, 2013;Love et al, 2017aLove et al, , 2017bHutchison et al 2018;Wyman et al, 2018, Snoek et al, 2020 of gereviewd (Snoek et al, 2016(Snoek et al, , 2020.…”

“…Daarnaast hebben Snoek et al (2020) een recente update gedaan van de internationale wetenschappelijke literatuur ten opzichte van hun eerdere review (Snoek et al, 2016), namelijk voor de periode 2017-2019, betreffende EMFs en effecten op marien leven in de Noordzee. -Zij beschrijven dat ook eerdere veldstudies (Love et al 2017a(Love et al , 2017b een gevarieerd beeld gaven:…”

Environmental Permitting and Compliance Cost Reduction Strategies for the MHK Industry: Lessons Learned from Other Industries

“…The BOEM has funded, and continues to fund, research projects to evaluate the effects on marine species from EMFs emitted by ocean power cables. Although electrosensitive species likely detect EMFs from power cables, the emissions are limited spatially to a few meters, reducing these species' potential exposure and the risk of impacts, especially when cables are shielded and buried [12][13][14][15]. Most research to date has concluded that there is likely little biological response to EMFs emitted by power cables [16,17], based on experimental approaches, mesocosms, large-scale field studies, behavioral studies, and measurements of EMFs from cables of various sizes [13,14,18,19].…”

“…Although electrosensitive species likely detect EMFs from power cables, the emissions are limited spatially to a few meters, reducing these species' potential exposure and the risk of impacts, especially when cables are shielded and buried [12][13][14][15]. Most research to date has concluded that there is likely little biological response to EMFs emitted by power cables [16,17], based on experimental approaches, mesocosms, large-scale field studies, behavioral studies, and measurements of EMFs from cables of various sizes [13,14,18,19]. Laboratory studies have been used to detect "dose-response" relationships, for example, how species behavior changes with exposure to EMFs [20].…”

“…Laboratory studies have been used to detect "dose-response" relationships, for example, how species behavior changes with exposure to EMFs [20]. Field surveys are also used to determine whether species behaviors or distributions are affected by EMFs at actual cables [13,14,19]. Although experimental research and field surveys have been limited and recent, work to date indicates there is no clear level of EMF identified to cause impacts on biota from anthropogenic sources of EMFs such as subsea cables.…”