Publication | Statement Possible effects on benthic ecosystems of fishery exclusion, a review in the frame of windmill farms.
The aim of this partim study is to get more insight into the effect of excluding bottom disturbing activities, in casu bottom trawling, on the characteristics (diversity, density, biomass and size spectra of long-lived and habitat structuring species) of the endo- and epifauna communities of sandy sediments in wind farms. Additionally, a number of key species that can contribute to nature restoration in relation to Natura 2000 and/or the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), are defined. An analysis of the impact of the exclusion of fisheries on gravel bed habitat is not comprised in this study, but will be subject of a follow-up study.
