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Comment by hulitu | Hacker News Reader

I would really want to know what is the impact of those wind farms on the marine ecosytem.

We treat the ocean like a big dump place.

If putting up wind keeps CO2 out of the ocean, I would think it is net positive. Ocean acidification, less calcium available for making shells, and then the affect of ocean warming on coral and knock on effects of losing those coral ecosystems are pretty terrible for the whole marine ecosystem. A couple pylons for turbines, I doubt that scratches the surface.

Everything thing in the ocean seems to LOVE structure. They build on our detritus as easily as rocks

It's probably very positive, actually. Provided you don't do something stupid like make them out of loose tires, structures in the ocean form an anchor around which ecosystems develop which wouldn't exist otherwise. Not to mention the effects on the ocean of rising temperatures, CO2 and deoxygenated dead zones are awful.

In the Pacific (at least) there’s the concept of a “fish aggregating device” (FAD). Fishing boats build and deploy smallish structures that create a local environment that eventually results in the production of commercially valuable fish. Usually it’s just logs, rope, and such.

Apart from the energy, an offshore wind farm would be a great sanctuary for fish. If you need to visit regularly for maintenance, bringing along a few extra FADs and the occasional marine biologist isn’t going to break the bank.

At least in the North Sea, wind parks have created large area's in which trawlers fishing is prohibited. This is really significant, as I believe the entire Dutch North Sea EEZ is trawled multiple times per year. This is really a massive undertaking, and is even permitted in the Natura2000 area's. Really nothing could stop the fishing lobby from destructing the bottom life on which the industry depends in a giant tragedy of the commons kind of way. Except now for wind farms. Now huge areas are off limits for fishing boats

So far seems to be positive for windfarms in the north sea:

* https://www.ecowatch.com/marine-animals-offshore-wind-farm-h...

* https://energytransition.org/2022/02/in-europes-north-sea-wi...

there’s some concern in new england about how they could affect the critically endangered right whales, but there’s little practical evidence of risk… and sometimes the risk is overblown by nimbys and fossil fuel companies who will align with anyone that agrees with them

at this point the ocean temperature is a much greater risk

Similar to how rocket launch sites make great wildlife sanctuaries due to keeping away human settlements, I would think that wind farms make great sanctuaries for marine life by keeping the area clear of normal fishing.

yes and killing off the sea birds

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