2010, ABPmer, Wave and Tidal Enabling Actions, Appropriate Assessment for Leasing Round (Pentland Firth)

In September 2008, The Crown Estate Commissioners ("The Crown Estate") announced the first round of wave and tidal renewable energy leasing work within the Pentland Firth Strategic Area (PFSA). To inform this Leasing Round, and before offering Agreements for Lease, The Crown Estate (TCE) is carrying out an Appropriate Assessment (AA) in fulfilment of obligations under the Habitats Regulations and the Offshore Habitats Regulations. On behalf of TCE, ABP Marine Environmental Research Ltd (ABPmer) and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) have previously carried out a screening and scoping exercise that identified the European/Ramsar sites (47 sites in total), and their relevant interest feature habitats/species, for which there was a possibility of a likely significant effect (LSE) from the proposed Plan. This report now provides the information that is needed for an Appropriate Assessment (AA) to be undertaken to determine whether the Plan will have an adverse effect on the integrity of any of these sites.