Potential environmental effects of Wave Energy Converter (WEC) installations and operations on small coastal cetaceans are, to date, poorly documented. Since this emerging industry is still in its infancy, pilot-scale projects may be used as baseline to assess responses of harbour porpoises to WEC structures. Since 2006, individual WEC have been intermittently deployed and functioning at the Galway Bay Marine and Renewable Energy (MRE) Test Site, in Ireland. During the Static Acoustic Monitoring period (2006-2016), this area was an important habitat for harbour porpoises, with strong seasonal pattern in their functional and fine-scale temporal uses of the site. The occurrence and foraging behaviour of harbour porpoises were driven by seasonal, diel, tidal and lunar cycles, highlighting the complexity of their rhythmic behaviour. Changes in these natural patterns were observed throughout the WEC deployment and functioning period. Harbour porpoises were more present at the site before the WEC deployment period than after, implying they exhibited long-term displacement and avoidance behaviour regarding anthropogenic disturbances. Their foraging behaviour however increased in the vicinity of the WEC suggesting a local enhancement of the feeding ground with higher prey availability. This study therefore provides baseline information to help design and enforce effective mitigation measures.
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