Award of Review of Benthic Monitoring Designs to provide recommendations in the context of Offsho...

Tender description

The Marine Scotland Directorate invites tenders from suitable contractors to provide guidance and recommendations for a standardised approach to benthic monitoring at sites for offshore renewable developments. In terms of scope, this overview will focus on ScotWind and the Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) leasing rounds, and include wave and tidal energy developments where reasonable, hereafter collectively referred to as offshore renewables. The contractor will provide: (1) a review existing benthic monitoring approaches and guidance with consideration of survey techniques including emerging technologies and analytical methods, and (2) assess the most effective monitoring design in the context of offshore renewables, with suitable consideration of spatio-temporal scales, to provide recommendations for a standard approach to benthic monitoring at renewable sites in Scottish waters. This tender will contribute to the overall process of planning, consenting and assessment for ScotWind and INTOG developments by ensuring that benthic monitoring for planned and future offshore wind developments can be based on agreed principles and recommendations developed through this project.