Germany – Environmental management – Ökologische Untersuchungen der Schutzgüter Benthos, Biotope und Fische in der deutschen Ausschließlichen Wirtschaftszone der Nordsee für die Flächenvoruntersuchung

The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) examines, in accordance with §§ 9 ff. WindSeeG, the areas designated in the spatial development plan for tendering by the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) and development with wind turbines. In this process, the marine environment, subsoil, wind and oceanographic conditions, and the transport suitability of the area are examined and reports are drawn up. Based on these investigations, among other things, the BSH assesses the suitability of the area. If the BSH concludes that the area is suitable, it declares the suitability by means of a statutory instrument and the results of the investigation are transmitted to the BNetzA for the tendering procedure. Furthermore, the results are made available via the data portal for area preliminary investigation. More information about the preliminary investigation, including the investigation framework, can be found at https://www.bsh.de/DE/THEMEN/Offshore/Flaechenvoruntersuchung/flaechenvoruntersuchung_node.html. The services tendered are those that serve to investigate the marine environment in accordance with § 9 Paragraphs 1 and 2 in conjunction with § 10 Paragraph 1 Sentence 1 No. 1 and Sentences 2 and 3 No. 1 WindSeeG. The subject of the tender is the conduct of ecological investigations of the protected goods benthos and fish in the German Exclusive Economic Zone of the North Sea for the area preliminary investigation in accordance with the current “Standard Investigation of the Impacts of Offshore Wind Turbines on the Marine Environment” (StUK4; download available at: https://www.bsh.de/DE/PUBLIKATIONEN/_Anlagen/Downloads/Offshore/Standards/Standard-Auswirkungen-Offshore-Windenergieanlagen-Meeresumwelt.html?nn=281004). The services for the areas correspond to those described exemplarily for the investigation area N-16_Ost. The areas covered by the overall contract are the areas that are designated in further FEP updates as centrally pre-investigated areas in zones 2 to 5 of the North Sea (see Figure 1), which are or will be scheduled for tendering by the year 2040. For the annual tendering volumes, reference is made to § 2a WindSeeG and the respective applicable spatial development plan. The investigation programme comprises ship-based investigations of the fish fauna and the benthos. The results of the investigations are to be documented in area-related reports. The first investigations from this overall contract will take place within the area N-16 and during the period from 01.09.2027 to 30.11.2028. The preparation of the reports for the first investigations must be completed as follows: Interim reports by no later than: 30.09.2028 Final reports by no later than: 31.03.2029