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From sound science come wise decisionsTM
Since 2004, providing underwater noise impact assessment and marine mammal risk mitigation services to all marine industries worldwide.
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Incorporated originally in 2004, OSC is a privately-owned international marine science company that specialises in the collection, analysis, and assessment of underwater noise and its impact on marine mammals and other wildlife. We provide marine consultancy services during different stages of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for the offshore energy (oil & gas, renewables, etc.), construction, fisheries, and defence sectors.
OSC is ISO certified for 9001:2015, 14001:2015, and 45001:2018.
OSC provide marine services to many sectors including windfarms, decommissioning, and seismic.
OSC has trained thousands of MMO & PAM personnel worldwide, and wrote the MMO and PAM industry Handbook. For more information see our training page.
Uniquely, we invest a large portion of profits into production of high-calibre peer-reviewed scientific research papers, if clients release us from Non-Disclosure Agreement, NDA (OSC publications), intended to influence marine policy and permit/licence decisions with evidence-based investigations, so clients fund this endeavour indirectly when they contract OSC’s commercial services. Publishing industry data in journals ensures scientific transparency, impresses regulators, and improves clients’ environmental credentials. To the best of our knowledge, unlike any other environmental consultancy worldwide, OSC’s research staff are awarded protected research time to write research papers from industry data; we effectively fund our own postdocs.
Since 2004, OSC has been conducting decommissioning field studies for a consortium of O&G clients. Research indicates strongly that offshore O&G installations/structures provide reliable feeding habitats for marine mammals, support diverse assemblages of species, and enhance reproduction of fish and invertebrates (e.g. Todd et al., 2009; Todd et al., 2016; Todd et al., 2018; Todd et al., 2020a; Todd et al., 2020b), which suggests that some well-placed offshore drilling rigs and production platforms should be left in situ at the end of their operational lifetimes.
In 2014, OSC undertook the definitive review on dredging and marine mammals on the back of supplying services to Shell for an ongoing project that has lasted over a decade (Todd et al., 2015)
Todd, V.L.G., Pearse, W.D., Tregenza, N.C., and Todd, I.B. (2009): Diel echolocation activity of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) around North Sea offshore gas installations. ICES Journal of Marine Science 66, 734 – 745.
Todd, V.L.G., Todd, I.B., Gardiner, J.C., Morrin, E.C.N., MacPherson, N.A., DiMarzio, N.A., and Thomsen, F. (2015): A review of direct and indirect impacts of marine dredging activities on marine mammals. ICES Journal of Marine Science 72, 328-340.
Todd, V.L.G., Warley, J.C., and Todd, I.B. (2016): Meals on wheels? A decade of megafaunal visual and real-time Passive Acoustic Monitoring detections from on-tow and stationary offshore oil and gas rigs and platforms in the North and Irish Seas. PLoS ONE 11, 25.
Todd, V.L.G., Lavallin, E.W., and Macreadie, P.I. (2018): Quantitative analysis of fish and invertebrate assemblage dynamics in association with a North Sea oil and gas installation complex. Marine Environmental Research 142, 69-79.
Todd, V.L.G., Lazar, L., Williamson, L.D., Peters, I., Cox, S.E., Todd, I.B., Macreadie, P.I., and McLean, D.L. (2020a): Underwater visual records of marine megafauna around offshore anthropogenic structures. Frontiers in Marine Science 7, 230.
Todd, V.L.G., Williamson, L.D., Cox, S.E., Todd, I.B., and Macreadie, P.I. (2020b): Characterising the first wave of fish and invertebrate colonisation on a new offshore petroleum platform. ICES Journal of Marine Science 77, 1127-1136.
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Ocean Science Consulting Limited
Spott Road
Dunbar
East Lothian, EH42 1RR
Scotland, UK
Ocean Science Consulting Greece Limited
1 Arkadias Street, 19443,
Agia Marina/Agios Dimitrios,
East Attiki (near Athens),
Greece
37.8147285N, 23.863746 E
Ocean Science Consulting (Asia-Pacific) Limited
191 Thorndon Quay
Level 3, Pipitea
Wellington 6011
New Zealand
