Germany – Environmental Management – Framework Agreement for Ecological Studies of Avifauna and Marine Mammals in the German Exclusive Economic Zone of the North Sea

The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) conducts investigations according to §§ 9 ff. WindSeeG for areas designated for tendering by the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) and development with wind energy plants. This includes examining the marine environment, soil conditions, wind and oceanographic conditions, as well as the traffic suitability of the area, and preparing reports on these findings. Based on the information from these investigations, the BSH assesses the suitability of the area. If the BSH determines that the area is suitable, it will officially declare this through a legal regulation, and the investigation results will be forwarded to the BNetzA for the tendering process. Additionally, the results will be made available through the data portal for preliminary investigations. More information about the preliminary investigation, including the scope of the investigation, can be found at https://www.bsh.de/DE/THEMEN/Offshore/Flaechenvoruntersuchung/flaechenvoruntersuchung_node.html. The services being tendered relate to the investigation of the marine environment as defined in § 9 paragraphs 1 and 2 in conjunction with § 10 paragraph 1 sentence 1 no. 1 and sentences 2 and 3 no. 1 WindSeeG. The tender includes planning, coordination, and overall reporting (Lot 1) as well as the execution (Lots 2 – 5) of the biennial investigation of avifauna (resting and migratory birds) and marine mammals according to the standard investigation concept (StUK4, https://www.bsh.de/DE/PUBLIKATIONEN/_Anlagen/Downloads/Offshore/Standards/Standard-Auswirkungen-Offshore-Windenergieanlagen-Meeresumwelt.html?nn=281004). The framework contracts are being tendered for the following lots: LOT 1 “Planning, Project Coordination, and Overall Reporting” LOT 2 “Execution and Evaluation, including Partial Reporting: SAS trips for the collection of resting birds and marine mammals in the area to be investigated, including provision of ship capacities” LOT 3 “Execution and Evaluation, including Partial Reporting: Investigations for the collection of migratory birds in the area to be investigated, including provision of ship capacities” LOT 4 “Execution and Evaluation, including Partial Reporting: Provision of ship capacities, deployment and maintenance of POD stations for the area to be investigated” LOT 5 “Execution and Evaluation, including Partial Reporting: Aerial investigations of resting birds and marine mammals for the area to be investigated.” The services for the areas correspond to those described for area N-9.5. The areas covered by the framework contract are areas N-9.5 and N-12.6 of the FEP 2025, as well as other areas that will be designated as central areas for preliminary investigation in zones 3 and 4 of the North Sea in further FEP updates, which are to be tendered by 2032. According to § 2a paragraph 2 in conjunction with paragraph 1 WindSeeG, areas with a tender volume of 2 GW are generally tendered annually. The investigation program includes ship-based (Lots 2 – 4) and aircraft-based (Lot 5) investigations of avifauna (resting and migratory birds) and marine mammals, including POD stations. The investigation results will need to be documented in area-specific reports. The first investigations from this framework contract will be for areas N-9.5 and N-12.6 and will take place from July 2025 to June 2027.