Report of the Study Group on Environmental Impacts of Wave and Tidal Energy (SGWTE)

The Study Group on the Environmental Impacts of Wave and Tidal Energy (Chair: Michael Bell, UK) met for the first time in Edinburgh, UK, 29–31 March 2011. The meeting was attended by eight participants from Ireland, Portugal, Sweden and the UK (Scotland and England). The wave and tidal energy industry is developing rap-idly and there are great aspirations for it to contribute to meeting global energy de-mands. The industry is a relative newcomer to the marine environment must co-exist with many other sea-users and stakeholders such as fisheries, nature conservation and shipping. SGWTE is convened as a new group to focus on the potential for wave and tidal energy developments to have consequences for the environment and other sea-users.