Wageningen Marine Research

Wageningen Marine Research participated as a research and implementation partner in the Ecoscour pilot at the Borssele Offshore Wind Farm (Site V), a Dutch offshore wind innovation site designed to test eco-friendly scour protection concepts and methods for enhancing marine biodiversity around bottom-fixed wind turbine foundations. Within the collaboration, Wageningen Marine Research supported ecological monitoring and evaluation activities focused on European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) restoration potential and broader benthic habitat development on different hard-substrate scour protection designs. The programme tested multiple scour protection materials and configurations, assessed settlement and survival patterns (including observed differences between vertical and horizontal surfaces), and generated evidence on substrate performance (with granite reported as a strong settlement substrate in shared findings). Fieldwork and monitoring were undertaken offshore at the Borssele V location, including sampling and analysis of organisms colonising the installed structures, supported by vessel-based operations and underwater observations. The work was positioned as applied research intended to inform replicable nature-inclusive design options for future offshore wind developments, complementing standard scour protection engineering with measurable ecological outcomes. Findings from the Borssele V pilot were reported as being shared through scientific publications and ongoing monitoring, providing an evidence base for scaling oyster reef and habitat enhancement measures within offshore wind farm environments.