The researchers were able to put together a picture of how the two areas have developed over time and the effects that the wind farm may have had on the broader marine population. The scientists note that, for fish, the area around an offshore wind farm can be something of a safe area, “as turbine monopiles hinder trawling,” and the protected status of some species allows communities to form. Other local wildlife find benefit in living in a turbine’s surrounding regions or directly on its surface.

Dalian Ocean University Associate Professor Zhongxin Wu is quoted by Murdoch University: “Our results showed that in the offshore windfarm area, benthic fish biomass was almost doubled compared to the control area.” Benthic fish dwell near the seafloor, and a potential reason for their abundance is that there are other organisms in the vicinity, too. Animals such as oysters can enjoy the large, strong, sturdy surface of a wind farm’s turbines, which may otherwise be difficult to come by in the area.