Maritime Spatial Planning supported by systematic site selection: Applying Marxan for offshore wind power in the western Baltic Sea.

The development of offshore wind energy and other competing interests in sea space are a major incentive for designating marine and coastal areas for specific human activities. Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) considers human activities at sea in a more integrated way by analysing and designating spatial and temporal distributions of human activities based on ecological, economic and social targets. However, specific tools supporting spatial decisions at sea incorporating all relevant sectors are rarely adopted. The decision support tool Marxan is traditionally used for systematic selection and designation of nature protection and conservation areas. In this study, Marxan was applied as a support tool to identify suitable sites for offshore wind power in the pilot area Pomeranian Bight / Arkona Basin in the western Baltic Sea. The software was successfully tested and scenarios were developed that support the sites indicated in existing national plans, but also show options for alternative developments of offshore wind power in the Pomeranian Bight / Arkona Basin area.

Occurrence and distribution of antifouling biocide Irgarol-1051 in coral reef ecosystems, Zanzibar.

2-methythiol-4-tert-butylamino-6-cyclopropylamino-s-triazine (Irgarol-1051) has been widely used as effective alternative antifouling paint in marine structures including ships. However, it has been causing deleterious effects to marine organisms including reef building corals. The main objective of this study was to establish baseline levels of Irgarol-1051 around coral reefs and nearby ecosystems along coastline of Zanzibar Island. The levels of Irgarol-1051 ranged from 1.35ng/L around coral reefs to 15.44ng/L around harbor with average concentration of 4.11 (mean)±0.57 (SD) ng/L. This is below Environmental Risk Limit of 24ng/L as proposed by Dutch Authorities which suggests that the contamination is not alarming especially for coral reef ecosystem health. The main possible sources of the contamination are from shipping activities. This paper provides important baseline information of Irgarol-1051 around the coral reef ecosystems within the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region and may be useful for formulation of marine conservation strategies and policies.

Total and opportunistic algal cover in relation to environmental variables.

Based on a large data set from the national Danish monitoring program, spatial and temporal variability in total algal cover and in the fraction of opportunistic macroalgae was analysed in relation to environmental variables. Variations in water clarity and salinity combined with information on geographical location of sampling areas were found to explain almost 80% of the large-scale variation in algal cover between areas. As water clarity was largely regulated by concentrations of total-nitrogen (TN), and TN-concentrations by TN-input from land, total algal cover at given water depths was partly related to TN-input from land. The fraction of opportunistic algae responded predominantly to differences in salinity, the highest fractions being found in the most brackish areas. Temporal variability in algal cover and fraction of opportunists over the 14-year investigation period was much smaller than the variability between areas and could not be predicted from variations in environmental variables. In order for macroalgal cover to become a more sensitive indicator of water quality it would be necessary to either increase the sensitivity of the method or identify and include supplementary regulating factors in the model.