Shipping in the north-east Atlantic : identifying spatial and temporal patterns of change

• Published in: Marine Pollution Bulletin
• Main Authors: Robbins, James R., Bouchet, Phil J., Miller, David L., Evans, Peter G.H., Waggitt, James, Ford, Alex T., Marley, Sarah A.
• Other Authors: University of St Andrews. School of Mathematics and Statistics
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: Marine conservation; Marine protected area; Maritime traffic; Automatic identification system; Vessel density; Generalized additive model; GE Environmental Sciences; GC Oceanography; 3rd-DAS; SDG 14 - Life Below Water; GE; GC; North East Atlantic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10023/25426; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113681

This work was supported by a faculty PhD bursary from the University of Portsmouth. Work was supported by the Marine Ecosystems Research Programme. Maritime traffic is increasing globally, with a four-fold increase in commercial vessel movements between 1992 and 2012. Vessels contribute to noise and air pollution, provide pathways for non-native species, and collide with marine wildlife. While knowledge of shipping trends and potential environmental impacts exists at both local and global levels, key information on vessel density for regional-scale management is lacking. This study presents the first in-depth spatio-temporal analysis of shipping in the north-east Atlantic region, over three years in a five-year period. Densities increased by 34%, including in 73% of Marine Protected Areas. Western Scotland and the Bay of Biscay experienced the largest increases in vessel density, predominantly from small and slow vessels. Given well-documented impacts that shipping can have on the marine environment, it is crucial that this situation continues to be monitored – particularly in areas designated to protect vulnerable species and ecosystems which may already be under pressure. Publisher PDF Peer reviewed