Abstract
The development of offshore wind energy and other competing interests in sea space are a major incentive for designating marine and coastal areas for specific human activities. Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) considers human activities at sea in a more integrated way by analysing and designating spatial and temporal distributions of human activities based on ecological, economic and social targets. However, specific tools supporting spatial decisions at sea incorporating all relevant sectors are rarely adopted. The decision support tool Marxan is traditionally used for systematic selection and designation of nature protection and conservation areas. In this study, Marxan was applied as a support tool to identify suitable sites for offshore wind power in the pilot area Pomeranian Bight / Arkona Basin in the western Baltic Sea. The software was successfully tested and scenarios were developed that support the sites indicated in existing national plans, but also show options for alternative developments of offshore wind power in the Pomeranian Bight / Arkona Basin area.
Highlights
The Baltic Sea is a semi-enclosed marginal sea of the North Atlantic and one of the largest brackish water bodies in the world
The Pomeranian Bight/Arkona Basin covers an area of approximately 14,100 km2 and is situated in the western Baltic Sea and spans territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of Denmark, Sweden, Poland and Germany (Fig 1)
To our knowledge, Marxan was employed for testing the influence of different energy production targets on the site selection of suitable offshore wind production areas in the Baltic Sea
Summary
The Baltic Sea is a semi-enclosed marginal sea of the North Atlantic and one of the largest brackish water bodies in the world. There are 9 bordering countries with strong ecological, social and economic interests in Baltic Sea goods and services including environmental protection, shipping, fisheries, offshore energy and tourism. Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) has been identified as a useful concept by the European Union member states for a sustainable maritime development, integrating EU’s blue growth strategy with existing directives aiming to protect marine habitats and species, water quality and the marine environment in general [3,4,5]. The MSP Directive adopted by the European Union in 2014 has identified the energy sectors at sea, maritime transport and fisheries and aquaculture sectors as key planning objectives [6].Under this directive, the aim of spatial planning is to reduce conflicts between different interests in sea space, create synergies between activities, encourage cross-border cooperation and at the same time protect the environment.
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