Table 9.

Component decision tree for impacts on benthic habitat and resources. The key is followed to obtain a recommended suite of monitoring protocols.

Determine which impacts to the benthic environment need to be monitored:
The energy resource is
Wind	Go to A
Waves	Go to B
Tidal	Go to C
(A) The wind turbine foundation is
Monopile OR tripod OR lattice	Go to A1
Gravity	Go to A2
Floating mooring	Go to A3
(A1) The stage of the monopile, tripod, or lattice wind turbine project is
Construction	Z1, Z2
Operation	Z1, Z2, Z3
Decommissioning	Z1, Z2
(A2) The stage of the gravity wind turbine project is
Construction	Z1, Z2, Z3
Operation	Z1, Z2, Z3
Decommissioning	Z1, Z2, Z3
(A3) The stage of the floating mooring wind project is
Construction	Z1, Z2
Operation	Z1, Z2
Decommissioning	Z1, Z2
(B) The tidal turbine type is
Open OR shrouded bottom mounted	Go to B1
Open OR shrouded floating mooring	Go to B2
(B1) The stage of the bottom-mounted tidal turbine project is
Construction	Z1, Z2
Operation	Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4
Decommissioning	Z1, Z2
(B2) The stage of the floating mooring tidal turbine project is
Construction	Z1, Z2
Operation	Z1, Z2, Z4
Decommissioning	Z1, Z2
(C) The wave device type is
Point absorber OR wave attenuator OR oscillating water column	Go to C1
Oscillating wave surge converter	Go to C2
Overtopping	Go to C3
(C1) The stage of the point absorber OR wave attenuator OR oscillating water column project is
Construction	Z1, Z2
Operation	Z2, Z4
Decommissioning	Z1, Z2
(C2) The oscillating wave surge converter project scale is
Construction	Z1, Z2
Operation	Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4
Decommissioning	Z1, Z2
(C3) The overtopping device project scale is
Construction	Z1, Z2
Operation	Z1, Z2, Z4
Decommissioning	Z1, Z2

Recommended protocols:

Z1: seabed scour and/or deposition.

Z2: changes in benthic community composition.

Z3: increase in hard bottom habitat.

Z4: changes in hydrodynamics.