One of the most important questions surrounding tidal energy fish safety is also one of the most honest: what actually happens to fish and marine mammals when turbines operate in their habitat? It is a question that regulators, fishing communities, scientists, and developers are working through together. Rather than offer reassurances, we want to walk through what the research is genuinely showing.
The short answer is that the risks are real but, in many cases, lower than initially feared. However, more study is needed before the full picture is clear. That measured, evidence-driven position is exactly where the industry stands today.
What Peer-Reviewed Research on Tidal Energy Fish Safety Has Found
A landmark peer-reviewed study published in PLOS One in January 2026 tracked marine animal interactions with a tidal turbine in Washington State over 109 days of operation. Researchers used optical cameras and sensors to observe 1,044 recorded animal events, including fish, fish schools, harbor seals, and seabirds. The notable finding: no collisions with seabirds or seals were observed, and the four fish that did contact the moving turbine swam away unharmed in all but one case.
“Findings from long-term research showing no collisions between marine life and tidal technology are a positive milestone for the industry and a significant step forward.”
That statement came from Elisa Obermann, Executive Director of Marine Renewables Canada, responding to the study in Inside Climate News. She was also careful to add that this is not the final word. “The limited number of long-term turbine deployments has meant there is a lack of site-specific data to fully assess potential environmental impacts,” she noted. Therefore, continued monitoring and transparency remain essential.
The 2024 State of the Science: Where Risks Have Been Lowered
The International Energy Agency’s Ocean Energy Systems programme publishes a State of the Science report on the environmental effects of marine energy. The 2024 edition, assessed by the Ocean Conservancy, found that concerns for several environmental risks have been downgraded, particularly for small projects of one to six devices. These include electromagnetic field impacts, underwater noise, and habitat changes for wildlife.
However, collision risk remains the biggest open question in tidal energy fish safety research. The report is clear that best practice means siting devices carefully, away from critical habitats, and conducting rigorous ongoing monitoring. In other words, the positive findings are conditional on responsible development practices.
Canadian Research in the Bay of Fundy
In Canada specifically, the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE) is leading collaborative research with Dalhousie University, the Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq, and the Ocean Tracking Network. As FORCE Science Director Dan Hasselman told CBC News, the research tracks nine species, including striped bass, American eel, and white sharks, to understand their movements in and around where tidal devices might operate. This kind of site-specific data is precisely what responsible tidal energy fish safety programs require.
Why Turbine Design Is Central to Marine Life Protection
Not all tidal turbines pose the same level of risk to marine life. A peer-reviewed review in Biological Conservation identifies blade collision as the most likely risk to fish from instream tidal turbines. Consequently, design choices, specifically rotation speed, blade geometry, and device scale, are central to how a turbine interacts with its environment.
This is one of the reasons FM Hydro’s Archimedes screw turbine is built the way it is. The screw rotates slowly and its open helical geometry is intended to allow fish to pass through without injury. You can read more about how our technology works on our How It Works page. We do not claim a zero-risk device. What we can say is that our design is built to minimize the likelihood of harm, and that we support the kind of independent monitoring and reporting that the science now shows is essential.
Why Scrutiny Is Welcome
The questions being asked about tidal energy fish safety are good questions. They come from scientists, regulators, and fishing communities who depend on healthy marine ecosystems. At FM Hydro, we see environmental monitoring not as a regulatory hurdle but as the process through which tidal energy earns its place in the water. Furthermore, the science is showing that responsible tidal development is achievable. Our responsibility is to make sure our contribution to this industry reflects that standard.
For more on how FM Hydro engages with environmental and regulatory processes, visit our latest news.
References:
• Bassett, C. et al., PLOS One (2026). Observations of marine animal interactions with a small tidal turbine.
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0338376
• Inside Climate News (2026). Underwater Cameras Could Help Unlock America’s Tidal Energy Industry.
• Ocean Conservancy (2024). The Effects of Wave and Tidal Energy on Marine Life.
• CBC News (2022). How Do Tides and Turbines Affect Sea Life? Fundy Study Hopes to Find Out.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/bay-of-fundy-tidal-power-development-force-1.6412184
• Copping, A. et al., Biological Conservation (2021). Are Fish in Danger? A Review of Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy on Fishes.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320721003499
• Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) (2024). Environmental Monitoring for Marine Energy.
