Individual consistency in the foraging behaviour of Northern Gannets: Implications for interactions with offshore renewable energy developments

The results showed that an individual’s foraging movements on consecutive trips away from the colony were consistent in direction and maximum distance travelled.  Gannets visited nine sites earmarked for offshore renewables, suggesting these birds could be affected by development in these areas.  Furthermore, these sites fell in three different territorial waters – those of France, the United Kingdom and the Channel Islands – illustrating how the impact of such developments needs to be considered at an international level for highly mobile species. 

As data were only collected for up to five days per bird, Gannets' movements over the course of the breeding season (and indeed the year) could bring them into contact with an even greater number of offshore developments.  Since tracking technology is becoming cheaper, longer lasting, more accurate and easier to use on a wide range of species, such studies could form an integral part of the environmental impact assessment process for marine renewable developments.