Overview of the effects of offshore wind farms on fisheries and aquaculture

The global shift to renewable energy, including large-scale development of offshore wind farms (OWFs), is well underway. This expansion will in certain places lead to increased coexistence and the potential for multiple uses of the space available for fishing and aquaculture activities, or to potential conflicts and restrictions for some fishing activities. Therefore, the overall objective of this study is to provide an overview of the state of knowledge on the existing and potential future effects of offshore wind farms (OWFs) on fisheries and aquaculture. A literature review on several aspects (ecology, management, legislation, socio-economics, stakeholders and governance) is executed, and complemented by stakeholder interviews and two case studies.