Marine renewables in the North of Scotland: using hydrodynamic models to explore risks to migratory fish

It is increasingly recognised that marine renewables may impact migratory fish, such as Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), during their migrations through Scottish coastal waters. To understand this risk, it is not only necessary to evaluate the interactions between fish and devices, but also to determine the probability of fish passing through areas for development. We have focussed on the latter, concentrating on the specific case of migratory fish passing through the Pentland Firth and Orkney waters. We use a hydrodynamic model to estimate the likelihood of passively drifting objects entering areas of risk and explore factors affecting this likelihood.