Do Ocean-Based Wind Farms Alter the Migration Pattern in the Endangered European Silver Eel (Anguilla anguilla) Due to Noise Disturbance?

Abstract

Numerous offshore wind farms have been built and will increase in the near future in the coastal areas of northern Europe. These locations are often in the direct path of migrating Anguilla anguilla (European silver eel) on their 5,000- to 6,000-km journey from Europe to the Sargasso Sea. At a certain time in their life that occurs between the ages of 6 and 20, A. anguilla start their long spawning migration. When this occurs, an irreversible physiological transformation starts in which the eyes and pectoral fins are enlarged, the skin color changes, and the digestive organs are regressed. Additionally, they stop feeding during the migration phase, which gives A. anguilla a limited amount of stored energy. If the fish are disturbed or hindered, the energy reserves might not be enough for them to reach their destination or it could, at least, result in limited spawning success. This effect could be devastating to the already highly threatened A. anguilla population that is listed as “critically endangered” in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list.