Frontline–Impacts of FLOW (Floating Offshore Wind) on Celtic Sea Ocean Fronts and Biodiversity

Supporting offshore wind monitoring, marine spatial planning and nature recovery
Offshore wind farm

Frontline–Impacts of FLOW (Floating Offshore Wind) on Celtic Sea Ocean Fronts and Biodiversity

Supporting offshore wind monitoring, marine spatial planning and nature recovery
Title: Frontline–Impacts of FLOW (Floating Offshore Wind) on Celtic Sea Ocean Fronts and Biodiversity
Funding amount: £3.5m
Dates: 2025-2030
Project partners: Heriot-Watt University (consortium lead), University of Plymouth (autonomy work package lead), Plymouth Marine Laboratory, HiDef, University of Liverpool, University of Oxford
University of Plymouth staff: Dr Lilian Lieber (Co-I and Work Package Lead), Yang Yang, Mr Peter Ganderton, Richard Kenyon, Mr Aaron Barrett, Mr David Bowman

 
FRONTLINE is investigating how floating offshore wind (FLOW) development could affect ocean fronts and marine biodiversity —from plankton to predators—in the Celtic Sea. 
The project combines autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) surveys, satellite remote sensing, aerial surveys, seabird tracking, fisheries data and stakeholder engagement to investigate how ocean fronts shape ecological processes and fishing activity across the Celtic Sea, and how these may change with the expansion of large-scale FLOW development. 
The University of Plymouth is developing and applying new autonomous ocean-observing approaches that combine measurements of ocean physics with digital plankton imaging and acoustic sensing of fish schools to understand changes across wider ecosystem dynamics. 
FRONTLINE will generate new evidence, best-practice guidance and advice to support offshore wind monitoring, marine spatial planning and nature recovery.
Offshore wind farm and fishing boats

Combining autonomous technologies with near-real-time front detection from satellite remote sensing allows us to target and observe the Celtic Sea across the spatial and temporal scales needed to understand this highly dynamic and productive shelf-sea ecosystem. By equipping a long-range AUV with an ambitious multi-sensor payload—measuring ocean physics, biogeochemistry, plankton and fish—we can trace how variability at tidal mixing fronts propagates through the food web and build a mechanistic understanding of how large-scale floating offshore wind development might interact with key ecosystem drivers.

Lilian LieberDr Lilian Lieber
Senior Research Fellow

 
Floating offshore wind is expanding into deeper, seasonally stratified waters such as the Celtic Sea, where its ecological effects remain poorly understood. These waters contain dynamic ocean fronts—the boundaries between vertically mixed coastal waters and stratified offshore waters—which shape the distribution and productivity of plankton and fish, create important foraging habitats for marine predators, and support commercial fisheries. As currents flow past submerged infrastructure, they generate wakes and enhanced mixing, potentially changing the strength, location and persistence of ocean fronts with knock-on effects on wider ecosystem dynamics.

FRONTLINE investigates how natural variability and FLOW infrastructure may influence ocean fronts, associated biodiversity and patterns of fishing activity across the Celtic Sea. The University of Plymouth will draw on its expertise in marine autonomy, ocean sensing and digital plankton imaging. Working with the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), deployments of Autosub Long Range 1500 (ALR1500)—widely known as Boaty McBoatface—will repeatedly sample tidal-mixing fronts across the Celtic Sea. These observations will provide a regional, ecosystem-scale understanding of frontal dynamics and their ecological importance, generating decision-ready evidence for offshore wind planning. 
 
Frontline project researchers at the Marine Station

We are entering an era in which we can collect more ocean data than ever before, with autonomous technologies enabling more rapid insight and adaptive sampling of ocean change. But we still cannot measure everything, everywhere, all at once. The real challenge is therefore not simply to collect more data, but to develop the mechanistic understanding needed to interpret change and target observations intelligently. As we confront the connected climate and biodiversity crises, that understanding is essential to ensure the necessary expansion of offshore wind works with nature and minimises unintended consequences for marine ecosystems.

Lilian LieberDr Lilian Lieber
Senior Research Fellow

The ALR1500 - Boaty McBoatface - is provided through NERC’s National Marine Equipment Pool and operated by the Marine Autonomous and Robotic Systems (MARS) Group at NOC. 
Kongsberg Discovery will contribute additional expertise in integrating scientific echosounders for fish-school detection and the near-real-time transmission of acoustic metrics. 
A Plymouth-based ALR trial is planned for late September 2026, ahead of seasonal deployments across the Celtic Sea beginning in spring 2027. 
Watch this space for updates!

Boaty McBoatface

FRONTLINE researchers trialling marine autonomous systems
Researchers trialling sensors on the micro-AUVs ahead of the ALR deployments
FRONTLINE researcher trialling marine autonomous systems
Dr Lilian Lieber trialling new sensors on micro-AUVs off Plymouth
FRONTLINE researchers
University of Plymouth and NOC researchers
 
 
 

Marine autonomy at Plymouth

The University of Plymouth has been working in the development and application of marine autonomous systems for over 30 years. 
Extensive marine and maritime expertise, world-class facilities, strong industry partnerships and coastal deployment capabilities provide an unrivalled ecosystem to transform ocean observation at a significantly lower cost and environmental impact. We configure autonomous systems for a range of applications, from environmental monitoring to defence and commercial operations.
USV Cetus and Falcon Spirit
University of Plymouth vessels on test patrol in Plymouth sound with network overlay

Centre for Marine Autonomy, Maritime Cyber Security and Technology (CMAST)

CMAST is founded on the achievement of research excellence across autonomous maritime technology and systems, and the cyber security of these technologies and systems. 
We bring together diverse research disciplines and stakeholders to continue pioneering safe, cyber-secure, sustainable, and advanced autonomous maritime systems.