Table A4.5: Schedule of possible environmental effects identified in relation to coastal and marine environments

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Sector	Nature of pressure	Expected direction of change	Expected onset of change	Expected duration and intensity of change	Preliminary assessment of policy significance
Energy supply	Pressure on coastal landscapes and natural character from wind farms	Increased pressure	Medium	Localised, ongoing. Issue has been very contentious recently.	Medium Negative
Energy supply	Placement of wind, wave or other electricity generation facilities in marine environments	Increased pressure	Medium–distant	Pressure will only become real when technologies become economically feasible, then continuing as long as electricity demand rises. Effects are likely to be small and localised and, depending on the technology, more visual than ecological.	Low Negative
Forestry	Afforestation effects on sediment yields to coastal environments	Decreased pressure	Medium	After planting, significant reductions in erosion occur at canopy closure. Existing bed-load of rivers must also be flushed before sedimentation of coastal environment is reduced, but long term effect is significant.	Medium Positive
Fishing	Effects of energy-intensive fishing methods, especially trawling	Decreased pressure	Early	Depends on magnitude of price signal in relation to market price (either domestic or international) for product	Low Positive
Fishing	Localised depletion of fish stocks if vessels reduce trip distances and stay closer to port	Increased pressure	Early–medium	Localised effects, potentially ongoing	Low–medium Negative
Fishing	Rebuilding of distant fish stocks if fishing pressure reduced because of fuel price increases	Decreased pressure	Early–medium	Ongoing	Low–medium Positive
Aquaculture	Pressure on coastal space from increased interest in coastal aquaculture	Increased pressure	Medium	Localised. Depends on resumption of allocation of coastal space.	Low Negative
Aquaculture	Pressures on marine environment from increased interest in deepwater aquaculture	Increased pressure	Medium–distant	Likely to be relatively minor because of greater dispersion, fewer competing activities and reduced biosecurity risk.	Low Negative
Aquaculture	More farming of filter-feeders could deplete phytoplankton in nutrient-poor areas or remove excess nutrient in enriched areas; finfish farming has opposite effects.	Increased pressure in some areas, decreased in others; overall effect uncertain	Medium	Localised, variable and ongoing.	Uncertain

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