Can offshore wind farms offer regenerative solutions for depleted fish stocks?
In this Sea and Society Talk, Cecilia Axelsson Örberg explores whether offshore wind farms can help regenerate fish stocks, focusing on their potential as no-take zones and their co-existence with fisheries.
Climate change and the drive for increased electrification have led to rising demand for space to produce renewable energy in coastal areas, which has resulted in spatial conflicts with the fishing industry. Studies suggest that offshore wind farms could serve as "no-take zones", where trawling is prohibited, potentially allowing the regeneration of fish stocks and benthic ecosystems.
In this talk, Cecilia Axelsson Örberg, GIS expert in water management at the Västra Götaland County Board, will present findings from her master’s thesis on this topic. She will share a summary of evidence on the impact of offshore wind turbines on fish, modelled results of the development of fish stocks in no-take zones, and results from interviews with fishermen revealing their view of future opportunities.
About the Speaker
Cecilia Axelsson Örberg is a former student of the Sea and Society master's programme at the University of Gothenburg. In June 2024, she presented her master’s thesis that assesses long-term impacts on fishing opportunities in three planned offshore wind farm projects in the Skagerrak.
Cecilia's thesis has since then been acknowledged by several organizations and research projects working on offshore wind farms, fisheries and marine spatial planning. She is also one of the winners of the GUSTA award this year, an award that recognizes outstanding theses written on sustainable development-related topics. Cecilia is currently working as a GIS expert within water management at the County Board of Västra Götaland (Länsstyrelsen).
About Sea and Society Talks
Sea and Society Talks is a lunch seminar series for researchers and ocean professionals, focusing on the challenges for a sustainable development and management of coasts and the sea.
Link to Webinar
Link to zoom webinar will be sent out after registration.