Energy Transition

Over the last decade, Scotland has almost doubled its Marine Renewable Energy generation. The energy transition, especially rapid offshore wind development and associated port/installation activity, is creating both direct spatial impacts and indirect effects for fishers based in North East Scotland. Large wind arrays and their exclusion safety zones reduce access to traditional fishing grounds and can fragment fishing areas, forcing vessels to travel further or concentrate effort into smaller remaining areas (Figure 1 and Figure 2). 

Construction and operational activity also changes the marine environment (noise, habitat alteration, changes in hydrodynamics, and prey distribution) in ways that are still being studied; some fishers report altered catches near turbine sites and developers’ commonly identify disturbance and temporary loss of fishing grounds during construction (Figure 3). Although monitoring and compensation are inconsistent, fishers report economic and wellbeing struggles and heightened uncertainty about future viability. Recent UK studies and surveys of fishermen document social, economic and wellbeing stresses linked to wind development (Szostek et. al., 2025).

The transition affects shore-side dynamics too, major ports (e.g. Peterhead, Aberdeen) are evolving into service hubs for renewables and grid infrastructure. This can offer alternative employment that draws workers away from fishing, as well as causing competition for quayside space and storage. However, this may also increased ship capacity in the quayside and generally fishing boats are not competing with much larger wind vessels.

The main potential impacts of Offshore Windfarm developments on the commercial fishing industry identified within Environmental Impact Assessments, include:

1. Loss or restricted access to fishing grounds;
2. Changes in catch-rates;
3. Changes in target species
4. Displacement of fishing effort;
5. Increased steaming times;
6. Increased snagging risk;
7. Increased likelihood of vessel collision or allision; and
8. Increased interference with fishing gear.