Monitoring of the physiological responses of marine fishes to construction and operation noise from offshore wind farms

With the rapid expansion of offshore wind energy, concerns have emerged regarding its effects on marine organisms. This study evaluated physiological responses of juvenile Larimichthys crocea and Paralichthys olivaceus to underwater noise from offshore wind farms, including pile driving and turbine operation. Oxygen consumption rate (OCR), osmolality, and catecholamine levels were measured. Compared to controls, L. crocea exposed to 24-h pile driving noise showed a significantly higher OCR (0.316 vs. 0.225 mg O₂ g^-1 h^-1, p < 0.01) and elevated osmolality (271 vs. 224 mOsm kg^-1, p < 0.05). In contrast, P. olivaceus showed significantly lower OCR (0.105 vs. 0.113 mg O₂ g^-1 h^-1, p < 0.01). Catecholamine levels remained unchanged in both species. Notably, these nocturnal species exhibited heightened sensitivity to noise at night. Turbine operation noise elicited no significant physiological responses. These findings emphasize species-specific responses and highlight the need to consider underwater noise in marine ecosystem management.