Mussel and Seaweed Cultivation in Offshore Wind Farms: An Opinion Survey

Abstract

German coastal regions and adjacent offshore waters are claimed for a variety of different, and often overlapping, uses. Conflicts of interest are expected to increase due to the planned construction of offshore wind farms. The development of an integrated approach combining different commercial activities, such as open ocean aquaculture and wind farming, could be a possible solution to overcome these conflicts. To illuminate existing perception and opinions on this multiple-use idea, this study examines the attitudes of representatives of eight different actor groups toward potential offshore wind farm–mariculture integration in the German North Sea. Results from our questionnaire survey show that the respondents’ attitudes toward the suggested multiple-use setting seem to be largely influenced by their general opinion toward offshore wind farms. The Fisheries actor group differs from the other questioned groups in that negative attitudes are overall predominant. This case study points to the need for a credible mechanism that more successfully integrates key actor groups, such as fisheries, into future planning and research issues.