Marine spatial planning identifies solutions for offshore wind farms at fishery and environment in Taiwan territorial waters

Abstract

Some fishery and environmental organizations criticize offshore wind farms affecting fishery livelihood and marine ecological biological environment. The problems offshore wind farm directly affect the fishing ground due to ocean currents, marine ecology, and the marine environment being changed. In addition, fishing operations may carelessly damage undersea offshore wind farm cables disrupting energy operations, many fishing activities are restricted within the offshore wind farm areas and marine ecological biological environment has been damaged by offshore wind farm. However, marine spatial planning could coordinate offshore wind farm stakeholders and conducts marine environmental impact assessments to identify suitable offshore wind farms. The purpose finds solutions for offshore wind farm in the fishery and marine ecological biological environment. The research questions are how to reduce offshore wind farm impact on fishery livelihood and marine ecological biological environment through marine spatial planning and marine environmental impact assessment in the Taiwan territorial waters. In online questionnaires of 404 respondents, 64.36% supported marine spatial planning site selection and marine environmental impact assessment could reduce offshore wind farm impact; 66.83% agreed offshore wind farm coexistence with multiple uses, increasing fishery and biodiversity; 58.17% agreed on public financial participation in offshore wind farm to increase social acceptance. The findings are consistent with previous research. However, interviewees challenged that multiple uses coexistence might affect some populations in the ecosystem and further investigations are required. Another, 50.50% agreed on updated regulations of marine spatial planning, marine environmental impact assessment, insurance, specific fund, feedback, and compensation of offshore wind farm that could improve fishery livelihood and marine ecological biological environment. Finally, based on the study results, the paper suggests that energy policy could open public financial participation in offshore wind farm increasing social acceptance, skill training influenced groups for employment, enhancing fishery livelihood, and protecting marine ecological biological environment.