Evaluating the current use of fisheries data in siting and impact assessment of offshore energy

To achieve climate targets, there is a growing number of renewable energy and cable projects at sea, which need to minimise impacts on the fishing industry. Data characterising fisheries activities will inform the siting and impact assessment of a project. In contrast to more ‘mappable’ sectors such as aquaculture, the spatiotemporally dynamic nature of Scotland’s diverse fishing industry makes it challenging to understand the value for fisheries of an area of interest. How does the energy industry consider this when integrating fisheries data into project planning?