With the program The Rich North Sea, an initiative of Nature & Environment and The North Sea Foundation, we are now more than three years underway. We started with a number of great nature development projects in the Dutch North Sea. Because with De Rijke Noordzee we are seizing the unique opportunity offered by wind farms to strengthen underwater nature and increase biodiversity.
Why is this necessary?
Once, much of the North Sea floor was covered with natural reefs, such as oyster beds. These have all but disappeared due to human intervention and disease, and the biodiversity of our largest natural area has declined. Reefs are a shelter for many marine life, and a source of food for other marine animals. Oysters also filter the water, recycle nutrients and store carbon.
What does The Rich North Sea do?
We are working on nature development at five offshore locations with different projects. On a small piece of the North Sea Farmers’ North Sea, we are testing oyster cages and artificial reefs on a smaller scale before placing them in offshore wind farms. On the bottom of the North Sea, conditions are tough, so it is important to know in advance whether the designs can withstand the currents, wave action and bottom dynamics. In the wind farms, we have deployed oysters around the base of the wind turbines and are conducting research on the behavior of codfish. We are successfully breeding juvenile oysters in the oyster culture line and conducting research to improve the culture.
A powerful collaboration between the wind sector and nature organizations. Innovation on the seabed in wind farms with the ultimate goal of a healthy and rich North Sea.