This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2024 project "Assessing the vulnerability of southern right whale and blue whale populations to disturbance from windfarm developments". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata.

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Australia is entering a phase of rapid offshore renewable energy development, with several marine regions earmarked for wind farms. Underwater noise generated by the construction and operation of large wind turbines may affect species such as whales that rely on their acoustic environment to feed, breed and survive.

This desktop study used available data and expert elicitation to develop an interim Population Consequences of Disturbance (iPCoD) model for blue whales and southern right whales in relation to one or multiple offshore wind farm developments off Portland and Gippsland, Victoria. This method has been used internationally to assess the impacts of offshore wind farm developments, including for harbour porpoises in British waters. The model follows a decision pathway to consider factors such as:

• when and where development activities overlap with populations;

• the proportion of populations affected;

• the life stages and reproductive phases affected; and

• the chances of repeated disturbance.

The model was used to predict the timing and location of cumulative impacts of the proposed activities at a regional scale, identifying which species are at ‘high-risk’ and are a priority for further research; noise levels mitigation measures required to adequately reduce the risk of compromised population viability; what research is needed to better understand population-level consequences of noise; and

which mitigation measures can substantially reduce the risk of population-level effects.

The iPCoD model will be able to be updated as new data become available, and is relevant for assessment against other ocean-based activities such as oil and gas infrastructure and carbon capture and storage.

Outputs

• iPCoD model outputs [dataset]

• Species distribution maps, as derived for existing observational data [spatial visualisation/story]

• Final Project Report [written]