Spatial Conflict in Offshore Wind Farms: Challenges and Solutions for the Commercial Fishing Industry

Journal article originally published in Energy Policy.

The first two offshore wind turbines in the UK were installed in the year 2000 and, by 2022, there were 3,197 turbines operating or under construction in UK waters. The UK is a global leader in offshore wind production – providing 45% of European and 24% of global capacity – but the expanding infrastructure is creating substantial pressures on commercial fishing operations.

Conflict between offshore wind and maritime communities

This study reveals significant spatial conflicts emerging from the rapid growth of offshore wind energy with profound implications for maritime communities. Although potential ecological benefits of offshore wind installations were recognised by fishermen, the majority report feeling increasingly marginalised by expanding energy infrastructures. The impacts are felt across the UK and fishing sectors (mobile and static fishing gears) but are particularly severe for smaller vessels, which have less resilience to environmental and economic disruptions. These challenges threaten not just economic livelihoods, but also the cultural fabric of coastal communities which have depended on fishing for generations.

Research findings highlight the complex interplay between technological advancement and the need for renewable energy infrastructure, and traditional industries. The offshore wind sector’s rapid growth presents both opportunities and challenges, requiring a delicate balance between renewable energy development and the preservation of long-standing maritime practices.

Key takeaways from the article:

• Spatial Conflict: The UK’s offshore wind expansion is creating substantial conflicts, with both energy and fishing industries competing for limited marine resources, alongside other activities such as maritime operations, mariculture, oil and gas and marine protected areas.
• Displacement Impact: Fishermen across all fleet sectors are experiencing significant displacement from traditional fishing grounds, with smaller vessels (<15m) being most vulnerable to these changes.
• Economic Uncertainty: The research exposed major inconsistencies in compensation mechanisms, with no standardized approach to supporting affected fishermen.
• Ecological Concerns: Significant uncertainties remain about the long-term ecological impacts of offshore wind farms on marine habitats and fish species.
• Policy Gap: Current legal frameworks lack comprehensive guidelines for managing the coexistence of offshore wind energy and commercial fishing.

Researchers advocate for a multifaceted approach to addressing these challenges. They emphasise the need to embed advice, that currently sits within best practice guidelines, into legal frameworks. This approach, combined with fostering collaboration between energy companies and fishermen early in the leasing process, to codesign turbine and cable arrays that enable coexistence or help mitigate impacts, will facilitate the development of more equitable strategies for marine space utilisation.

This research was funded by EcoNex, UK Energy Research Centre and PELAgIO under the Natural Environment Research Council (NE/X008835/1).