Exploring the Compatibility of Offshore Wind Farms and Marine Protected Areas in the Scotian Shelf-Bay of Fundy Bioregion: A Case Study of Canso and Middle Banks

Abstract

In a marine environment of competing human uses and objectives, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and marine renewable energy like offshore wind (OSW) fight for space. OSW has been internationally accepted as an economically viable green energy alternative to conventional carbon-emitting sources, with the long-term goal of aiding to slow global warming. Although OSW is posed as a green energy source, questions continually arise regarding the environmental impacts of the technology and its compatibility with marine conservation initiatives, including MPAs. MPAs have gained global support via the International Convention on Biological Diversity which targets protection for 30% of coastal and marine areas by 2030. This study aims to evaluate the compatibility of OSW and future MPAs in Scotian Shelf-Bay of Fundy bioregion using a novel environmental risk assessment (ERA) method. The ERA uses a case study of Canso and Middle Banks, a site for future marine conservation, to investigate the spatial compatibility of OSW and an Oceans Act MPAs. The environmental risk assessment of Canso and Middle Banks will estimate the magnitude of OSWs impacts to conservation priorities to discern suitability and gaps in knowledge. Overall, OSW site selection, construction and operation pose a moderate threat to the conservation priorities of Canso and Middle Bank. Therefore, it is unclear if OSW and MPAs are spatially compatible due to gaps in the literature, a limited understanding of ecosystem wide effects, and the lack of decommissioning ecological knowledge. This project will help managers understand the potential compatibility between OSW and MPAs and provide direction for future studies that explore beyond ecological components to safeguard marine ecosystems and advance decarbonization for generations to come.