Public Consultation for the Planning Inspectorate UK on Transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Morecambe Offshore Windfarm development, located approximately 30km from the Lancashire coastline
A submission by staff at BirdWatch Ireland
Contact: Rochelle Streker, Marine Spatial Planning Officer, BirdWatch Ireland
Address for correspondence: BirdWatch Ireland, Unit 20 Block D, Bullford Business Campus, Kilcoole/Greystones, Co. Wicklow.
Phone: + 353 87 4374401
Email: rstreker@birdwatchireland.ie
Introduction
BirdWatch Ireland is Ireland’s leading charity focused on the conservation of wild birds. Established in 1968, we currently have over 15,000 members and supporters and a local network of over 30 branches nationwide. As an organisation, our conservation team is actively involved in seabird conservation, research, and monitoring. Our policy and advocacy team are active stakeholders contributing to marine conservation at a national and EU level. We are the Irish partner of Birdlife International and are members of the Irish Environmental Network, Stop Climate Chaos, and the Sustainable Water Network, and a founding partner of the Fair Seas coalition.
Our vision is that Ireland should become a world leader in marine conservation and the sustainable management of our marine environment. The protection and restoration of Ireland’s biodiversity is vital, and rapid decarbonisation is an essential element of this process. BirdWatch Ireland therefore supports the production of renewable energy and offshore wind to help achieve this. However, offshore renewable energy (ORE) devices and infrastructure must be sensitively located to minimise negative impacts on marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and on seabirds in particular as these may be more impacted than other taxa.
