The deadline for submissions is 3 April 2023.
ICES Journal of Marine Science (ICES JMS) strives to advance marine science by making judicious use of themed article sets (TSs). TSs are series of coordinated contributions – introduced by a synthetic overview – on a selected topic. Both individually and collectively, TSs are instrumental in focusing attention, triggering opinions and stimulating ideas, discussion and activity in specific research fields. We invite you to participate in a TS on “Assessing the impact of expanding offshore wind energy”.
The number and size of offshore wind energy installations will increase rapidly in the coming years. The impacts of these structures on human society, especially those heavily dependent upon the areas where wind energy installations will be placed (e.g. fishers), and on physical and chemical oceanography, organisms and communities, will be significant. At present, information-knowledge about these impacts – particularly for offshore floating turbine-based facilities – is limited (e.g. scale of impact; patterns and wider ecosystem level effects; modifications to the seascape). Much more information is available about nearshore and terrestrial wind facilities that are embedded in the substrate.
The objective of this themed article collection is to present what is known, and also unknown, about the impacts of coastal and terrestrial wind facilities (including bottom-mounted and floating turbines, support structures, mooring cables and electric cables) to better inform and guide research on/management of wind energy facilities. We welcome contributions that highlight advances and challenges related to the following topics, among others, including what can be learned from studies of wind energy installations on land and other large installations in the sea (e.g. oil and gas extraction platforms):
• Effects of introduced structures (especially floating wind turbines) on physical, chemical and biological oceanography at local and regional scales (including beyond any single installation);
• Detection and evaluation of the effects of these structures in the context of global climate change and multiple-cumulative stressors on marine organisms (throughout their life cycle) and ecosystems, including impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem function;
• Sampling, analytical techniques and survey design (including constraints associated with operating vessels around large-scale installations) for assessing local impacts on key species and populations, including applying an ecosystem approach;
• Strategies for adapting to/mitigating the impact of large-scale wind energy areas on the extraction of fisheries resources, including socio- economic and cultural aspects of their implementation for the delivery of ecosystem services to fishers and other resource dependent communities potentially impacted by wind installations;
• How offshore wind relates to the rest of the “blue” economy in the context of co-location and coexistence and how it is compatible with conservation goals and targets (e.g. the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy);
• The impacts of wind installations on fisheries management and marine spatial planning;
• Lessons on research, cooperation, collaboration and co-development of knowledge with all takeholders relevant to wind energy
development;
• Lessons to be learned from other marine installations such as oil and natural gas platforms;
• Lessons to be learned about any of the above from nearshore and onshore wind energy installations.
In addition to original research articles, contributions can take the form of a review, a “Food for Thought” essay which deals with a thought-provoking or controversial issue, a “Quo Vadimus” essay which describes what you see as the future of the field or a “Stories from the front lines” essay in which you provide a substantive account of challenges, wins and losses on any aspect of ocean and coastal sustainability, written as a narrative and drawing at least partly on the author(s) experience.
Manuscripts should be prepared following the technical guidelines that can be found on the ICES JMS web site and should be submitted following the standard procedure. Please state in your cover letter that the article is intended for inclusion in this TS. Manuscripts will be subjected to the standard ICES JMS review process, overseen and coordinated by the Journal’s editors.
Publication of TSs occurs on a “build as it goes” basis; articles will normally appear online within 3-6 weeks of their acceptance in final form. That means that publication of the first article accepted will not be delayed by the last article accepted.
You can also submit at any time before the deadline – your article will be published online as soon as it is finalized (it will not be held back until the TS is complete).
We would appreciate receiving an indication of your interest in contributing at your earliest convenience (by email to any of the editors listed below). We hope that you will accept this invitation and look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Howard Browman ([email protected])
Valerio Bartolino ([email protected])
Silvana Birchenough ([email protected])
Steven Degraer ([email protected])
Mark Gibbs ([email protected])
Anita Gilles ([email protected])
Jonathan Grabowski ([email protected])
Manuel Hidalgo ([email protected])
Alf Håkon Hoel ([email protected])
Simon Northridge ([email protected])
Mike Pol ([email protected])
David Secor ([email protected])
Katherine Yates ([email protected])
