Mapping Potential Conflict Zones Between Offshore Wind Development and Little Terns Across Japan: A New Spatial Screening Framework to Support Environmental Impact Assessment

October 13, 2026

Key points

  • By combining nesting-suitability estimates with an energy-based foraging model, we mapped marine areas across Japan with high potential for Little Tern use (Note 1).
  • Most tracked Little Tern flights occurred below the height range swept by turbine blades, while the birds showed clear horizontal avoidance near wind turbines.
  • The framework does not require capturing birds or fitting them with GPS tags and can assess seabird sensitivity (Note 2) to offshore wind development using published information and behavioral observations, making it potentially applicable to a wider range of seabird species.

Overview

With the expansion of offshore wind development, it is becoming increasingly important to identify potential impacts on seabirds early in the planning process. However, for species such as the Little Tern, whose nesting sites can shift from year to year, existing distribution data alone may not adequately capture the marine areas they are likely to use. A research group led by Specially Appointed Assistant Professor KAMATA Taito and Professor SEKIJIMA Tsuneo of the Faculty of Agriculture at Niigata University has developed a new framework for identifying potential spatial conflicts between offshore wind development and areas potentially used by Little Terns. The framework integrates nesting suitability, foraging accessibility, and behavioral responses to wind turbines, and is expected to support early-stage spatial screening for environmental impact assessment (Note 3).

[Term explanations]

(Note 1) Little Tern
A small seabird in the gull family. Little Terns breed in colonies in open areas such as sandy beaches, riverbeds, and reclaimed land, and mainly feed on small fish and crustaceans in coastal waters. In Japan, the species is listed as Endangered (EN) on the Ministry of the Environment’s Red List.

(Note 2) Sensitivity
In this context, sensitivity refers to how susceptible a species is to impacts from development. Sensitivity assessments may integrate information on species distribution or habitat use, conservation importance, and impact-specific vulnerability factors. In wind power planning, factors such as flight altitude may also be considered to help identify areas where development could pose greater ecological risks and to inform turbine siting.

(Note 3) Environmental impact assessment
A process for investigating, predicting, and evaluating the environmental impacts of a development project before it is implemented, and for considering appropriate mitigation measures.

Publication Details

Journal: Environmental Impact Assessment Review
Title: A framework for screening potential conflicts between wind farm development and Little Tern — a colony-shifting central-place-foraging seabird species
Authors: Taito Kamata, Reiku Ito, Masaharu Hayakawa, Tsuneo Sekijima
Doi: 10.1016/j.eiar.2026.108711

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