Short Science Summary: Electromagnetic Fields

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Potential Environmental Effects on Animals from Marine Renewable Energy: Electromagnetic Fields

Certain marine animals, such as certain elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, rays, etc.), marine mammals, crustaceans, sea turtles, and other fish species, can sense electromagnetic fields (EMFs). These species use EMFs to navigate, orient, and hunt for prey. Cables from operational marine renewable energy (MRE) devices can add EMFs to the environment, on top of other anthropogenic sources such as underwater telecom or power cables, while also adding to the Earth’s natural field. MRE devices can potentially alter the ambient EMF field, which may disrupt the animals’ ability to detect natural signatures, potentially affecting their survival, reproductive success, or migratory patterns. With the advent of larger MRE developments, the intensity and range of the emissions may increase.

This Short Science Summary was developed based on the OES-Environmental 2020 State of the Science Report: Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Development Around the World, specifically Chapter 5: Risk to Animals from Electromagnetic Fields Emitted by Electric Cables and Marine Renewable Energy Devices.

The table below contains the literature relevant to this summary document and will continue to be updated as new literature is added to Tethys.

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Marine Renewable Energy, Electromagnetic (EM) Fields and EM-Sensitive Animals Gill, A., Gloyne-Philips, I., Kimber, J., Sigray, P. Book Chapter Marine Energy EMF
Sound Detection Mechanisms and Capabilities of Teleost Fishes Popper, A., Fay, R., Platt, C., Sand, O. Book Chapter Marine Energy EMF, Noise Fish
Review of Literature and Studies on Electro Magnetic Fields (EMF) Generated by Undersea Power Cables and Associated Influence on Marine Organisms Switzer, T., Meggitt, D. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF
Early Research Efforts at the Navy's Wave Energy Test Site Cross, P., Rocheleau, R., Vega, L., Li, N., Cheung, K. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Wave Changes in Flow, EMF, Noise
A Risk Retirement Pathway for Potential Effects of Underwater Noise and Electromagnetic Fields for Marine Renewable Energy Development Copping, A., Freeman, M., Gorton, A., Hemery, L. Conference Paper Marine Energy EMF, Noise
A Snapshot of Risk for Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Development Copping, A., Kramer, S. Conference Paper Marine Energy Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise
Potential Impact of Submarine Power Cables on Crab Harvest Bull, A., Nishimoto, M. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, EMF Invertebrates
Assessment of Electromagnetic Field Emissions from Subsea Cables Dhanak, M., Coulson, R., Dibiasio, C., Frankenfield, J., Henderson, E., Pugsley, D., Valdes, G. Conference Paper Marine Energy EMF
Improving Understanding of Environmental Effects from Single MRE Devices to Arrays Hasselman, D., Hemery, L., Copping, A., Fulton, E., Fox, J., Gill, A., Polagye, B. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise
Assessing the Effects of Marine and Hydrokinetic Energy Development on Marine and Estuarine Resources Ward, J., Schultz, I., Woodruff, D., Roesijadi, G., Copping, A. Conference Paper Marine Energy EMF Fish, Invertebrates
Moving from scientific research to consenting guidance for MRE environmental risk Copping, A., Rose, D., Freeman, M. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Changes in Flow, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Legal & Policy, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement
The emergence of a new marine renewable energy industry – what are the implications for fisheries? Bell, M., Side, J., Kerr, S., Johnson, K., Baston, S., Bullen, C. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries
XLPE Submarine Cable Systems: Attachment to XLPE land cable systems user’s guide ABB Guidance Marine Energy EMF
Sub-Sea Power Cables And The Migration Behaviour Of The European Eel Langenfelt, I., Westerberg, H. Journal Article Marine Energy EMF Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish
Recording the Magnetic Field Produced by an Undersea Energy Generating Device: A Low-Cost Alternative Luna, V., Silva, R., Mendoza, M., Canales-Garcia, I. Journal Article Marine Energy EMF Marine Mammals
A modelling evaluation of electromagnetic fields emitted by buried subsea power cables and encountered by marine animals: considerations for marine renewable energy development Hutchison, Z., Gill, A., Sigray, P., He, H., King, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF Fish, Invertebrates
Sharkbite on the SL submarine lightwave cable system: history, causes and resolution Marra, L. Journal Article Marine Energy EMF Fish
Environmental Impacts of Tidal and Wave Energy Converters Hutchison, Z., Lieber, L., Miller, R., Williamson, B. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment
Highly directional swimming by scalloped hammerhead sharks, Sphyrna lewini, and subsurface irradiance, temperature, bathymetry, and geomagnetic field Klimley, A. Journal Article Marine Energy Attraction, Avoidance, EMF Fish
Environmental impact of renewable energy source based electrical power plants: Solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, geothermal, tidal, ocean, and osmotic Rahman, A., Farrok, O., Haque, M. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions
Impact of magnetic fields generated by AC/DC submarine power cables on the behavior of juvenile European lobster (Homarus gammarus) Taormina, B., Di Poi, C., Agnalt, A., Carlier, A., Desroy, N., Escobar-Lux, R., D'eu, J., Freytet, F., Durif, C. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy EMF Invertebrates, Legal & Policy
Magnetic fields produced by subsea high-voltage direct current cables reduce swimming activity of haddock larvae (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) Cresci, A., Durif, C., Larsen, T., Bjelland, R., Skiftesvik, A., Browman, H. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy EMF Fish, Demersal Fish
Detection of magnetic field intensity by sea turtles Lohmann, C., Lohmann, K. Journal Article Marine Energy EMF Reptiles
A critical review on environmental impacts of renewable energy systems and mitigation strategies: Wind, hydro, biomass and geothermal Sayad, E. , Wilberforce, T., Elsaid, K., Rabaia, M., Abdelkareem, M., Chae, K., Olabi, A. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy Attraction, Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
Biological Consequences of Marine Energy Development on Marine Animals Hemery, L., Copping, A., Overhus, D. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Seabirds, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds
Potential Interactions between Diadromous Fishes of U.K. Conservation Importance and the Electromagnetic Fields and Subsea Noise from Marine Renewable Energy Developments Gill, A., Bartlett, M., Thomsen, F. Journal Article Marine Energy EMF, Noise Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish
Magnetic navigation behavior and the oceanic ecology of young loggerhead sea turtles Putman, N., Verley, P., Endres, E., Lohmann, K. Journal Article Marine Energy EMF Reptiles
A call to assess the impacts of electromagnetic fields from subsea cables on the movement ecology of marine migrants Klimley, A., Putnam, N., Keller, B., Noakes, D. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy EMF Fish, Invertebrates
Quantifying Background Magnetic Fields at Marine Energy Sites: Challenges and Recommendations Grear, M., McVey, J., Cotter, E., Williams, N., Cavagnaro, R. Journal Article Marine Energy EMF
Magnetic fields generated by submarine power cables have a negligible effect on the swimming behavior of Atlantic lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) juveniles Durif, C., Nyqvist, D., Taormina, B., Shema, S., Skiftesvik, A., Freytet, F., Browman, H. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy EMF Fish, Pelagic Fish
Similar circling movements observed across marine megafauna taxa Narazaki, T., Nakamura, I., Aoki, K., Iwata, T., Shiomi, K., Luschi, P., Suganuma, H., Meyer, C., Matsumoto, R., Bost, C., Handrich, Y., Amano, M., Okamoto, R., Mori, K., Ciccione, S., Bourjea, J., Sato, K. Journal Article Marine Energy EMF Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles
Frequency characteristics of skate electroreceptive central neurons responding to electrical and magnetic stimulation Andrianov, Y., Broun, G., Il'inskii, O., Muraveiko, V. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy EMF Fish, Demersal Fish
Electric and magnetic senses in marine animals, and potential behavioral effects of electromagnetic surveys Nyqvist, D., Durif, C., Gullikstad Johnsen, M., De Jong, K., Nesse Forland, T., Doksæter Sivle, L. Journal Article Marine Energy EMF Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Reptiles
Motivational trade-offs and potential pain experience in hermit crabs Appel, M., Elwood, R. Journal Article Marine Energy EMF Invertebrates, Human Dimensions
Insights from the management of offshore energy resources: Toward an ecosystem-services based management approach for deep-ocean industries Bravo, M., Brandt, M., van der Grient, J., Dahlgren, T., Esquete, P., Gollner, S., Jones, D., Levin, L., McClain, C., Narayanaswamy, B., Sutton, T., Victorero, L., Cordes, E. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Changes in Flow, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Social & Economic Data
Long-Term Exposure of Several Marine Benthic Animals to Static Magnetic Fields Zettler, M., Bochert, R. Journal Article Marine Energy EMF Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates
‘Scaling up’ our understanding of environmental effects of marine renewable energy development from single devices to large-scale commercial arrays Hasselman, D., Hemery, L., Copping, A., Fulton, E., Fox, J., Gill, A., Polagye, B. Journal Article Marine Energy Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise
Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) from Submarine Power Cables Can Trigger Strength-Dependent Behavioural and Physiological Responses in Edible Crab, Cancer pagurus (L.) Scott, K., Harsanyi, P., Easton, B., Piper, A., Rochas, C., Lyndon, A. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF Invertebrates
Survival of the Stillest: Predator Avoidance in Shark Embryos Kempster, R., Hart, N., Collin, S. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy EMF Fish, Demersal Fish
Risk Retirement—Decreasing Uncertainty and Informing Consenting Processes for Marine Renewable Energy Development Copping, A., Freeman, M., Gorton, A., Hemery, L. Journal Article Marine Energy EMF, Noise Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
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