Expansion of offshore energy production will lead to considerable spatial conflicts in European seas

Large areas are already developed with offshore installations, especially in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. The United Kingdom has dedicated the largest share of its exclusive economic zone to energy production from renewables, at around 1480 km², followed by Germany and Denmark. In doing so, the three countries focus primarily on the use of wind power. In the long term, the further expansion of this sector should involve a total of about 60,000 km² in the North Sea (about 10 % of the total area) and 20,000 km² in the Baltic Sea. Compared to the area currently used for wind power of about 5,000 km² in the North Sea and hardly any significant areas in the Baltic Sea, this represents a considerable increase in spatial demand. In the other European seas, the Celtic Sea, the Atlantic region and the Mediterranean Sea, the plans also envisage significant increases in spatial use for energy generation, especially after 2025.

Since fishing is not allowed in most of those areas, or is only allowed to a very limited extent, the loss of fishing areas for fisheries is dramatic in some cases. The scientists were able to show this by overlaying data on existing installations or those under construction or in planning with information on the distribution and intensity of fishing effort in the areas concerned and thus quantifying the possible loss of fishing opportunities for fisheries. Trawling for bottom-dwelling species and species in the open water body is particularly affected. The consequences are complex and go far beyond the mere loss of fishing grounds and the associated income for fishers. They also affect the economic situation in downstream sectors such as fish processing, tourism and thus the socio-cultural fabric in coastal communities as a whole.