A marine scientist says Ørsted’s offshore wind farm proposals offer no benefits to the Manx fishing industry.

Dr David Beard, chief executive of the Manx Fish Producers Organisation, said construction of the proposed Mooir Vannin wind farm would have a significant impact on a sector that supports more than 300 jobs.

He posted on Facebook: ‘This development will result in displacement of fishing effort to adjacent grounds, with the loss of an average of 170 Manx fishing days per year.

‘Every single Manx boat fishes in the affected area and so will be impacted.

‘This is an industry that supports more than 300 Manx jobs, on the boats, in the processing factories and in associated businesses.

‘There are no positives here for the Manx fishing industry or the marine environment within the territorial sea.’

Dr Beard was responding to a post on the Sustain: Isle of Man Facebook page which claimed fish stocks would see a net gain.

It argued there is two to three times more biomass in areas containing offshore wind farms and that Mooir Vannin would create a no-fishing sanctuary.

However, Dr Beard contended that Sustain had not carried out sufficient research into the realities of commercial fishing.

He said the wind farm would affect up to 10% of king scallop fishing grounds and that sandscaping during the construction phase would alter the seabed and the species that inhabit it.

Fishing is unlikely to continue in the affected area after construction, he warned.

More than half of the key three-mile zone within Manx territorial waters is already protected from commercial fishing activity.

Of the 211sq km of fishable ground that remains, construction of Mooir Vannin would disturb 73sq km, Dr Beard said.

He said scallops are particularly sensitive to disturbance and it could take between three and five years for the seabed to recover sufficiently for scallops to resettle, with a further four to seven years needed to restore a population comparable to the current one.

‘An area that is not fished can be good for fish stocks, but not one that has been sandscaped using this type of construction,’ he said.

He also raised concerns about the potential impact on local sand eel populations.

An Ørsted spokesperson said: ‘We recognise the importance of the Manx fishing industry and the concerns raised by representatives. Fisheries matters are a key part of scrutiny in the ongoing independent examination process.

‘We are working closely with representatives of the local fishing community, including the Manx Fish Producers Organisation.

‘We have been engaging directly with Dr Beard and the MFPO since pre-application in 2023 and remain committed to working constructively and cooperatively.

‘Our application includes an outline Fisheries Coexistence and Liaison Plan to support continued engagement with fishers. This includes proposed mechanisms for consultation on final project design, fisheries monitoring and a dedicated fisheries adaptation fund, should these be deemed necessary.

‘It is important to be clear that Mooir Vannin is not proposing to exclude fishing activity from the operational wind farm. Offshore wind farms and commercial fishing successfully coexist in many locations around the UK and Europe.’