Rachael Sinclair

Degrees and Education

• 2011 University of St Andrews, MRes Marine Mammal Science. Distinction for the dissertation: Habitat use of the South Abaco Island bottlenose dolphin community.

• 2010 Aberdeen University BSc Hons Marine Biology (1st Class)

Specialty

Rachael has been working in the field of marine mammal science since 2011. She has two years experience conducting visual marine mammal surveys investigating the impacts of swim-with-dolphin tourism and on a long term bottlenose dolphin photo-ID project. She joined SMRU Consulting Europe in 2013 and as a consulting scientist she has experienced a range of consultancy work for various industries and sectors including offshore renewables, offshore civil engineering and oil and gas. Rachael has conducted a wide array of industry funded project work including the production of Environmental Statements and supporting documents, collision risk modelling, population modelling and survey design and coordination.

• Production of and input into scoping, baseline characterisation, noise impact assessments, cumulative impact assessments, ES chapters, HRA, shadow EPS assessments and MMMPs for numerous UK offshore wind farms.

• Expert witness at OWF Issue Specific hearings as part of the examination process.

• Analytical work including collision risk modelling for tidal devices and population trajectory modelling using the iPCoD model for offshore wind farms, cumulative assessments and tidal device collision impacts.

• Visual marine mammal survey projects including designing surveys and protocols

• Experienced in identifying marine mammal species from digital still images obtained during aerial surveys

• Trained in spatial modelling methods for correlated data and distance sampling.

Key Publications and Reports:

Various OWF EIA related reports (see Projects)

Sinclair, R.R., Klementisova, K & Chudzinska, C. (2025). Sectoral Marine Plan Marine Mammal Population Modelling. Report provided to Marine Directorate.

Sinclair, R.R. (2025). Challenges and Solutions for Offshore Wind Farm Cumulative Effects Assessments for Marine Mammals. PrePARED Report, No. 007. April 2025.

Sinclair, R.R., S. Kazer, M. Ryder, P. New, and U. Verfuss. (2021). Review and recommendations on assessment of noise disturbance for marine mammals. NRW Evidence Report No. 529.

Booth, C., R.R. Sinclair, and J. Harwood. (2020). Methods for Monitoring for the Population Consequences of Disturbance in Marine Mammals: A Review. Frontiers in Marine Science.

Sinclair, R.R., J. Harwood, and C. Sparling. (2020). Review of demographic parameters and sensitivity analysis to inform inputs and outputs of population consequences of disturbance assessments for marine mammals. Vol 11 No 14, 74pp.

Sinclair, R.R., C. Lacey, H. Tyler-Walters, C. Sparling, and H. Tillin. (2020). Developing FeAST for mobile marine species. Scottish Natural Heritage Research Report No. 1175.

Verfuss, U.K., Sinclair, R.R. & Sparling, C.E. (2019). A review of noise abatement systems for offshore wind farm construction noise, and the potential for their application in Scottish waters. Scottish Natural Heritage Research Report No. 1070.

Sinclair, R.R. & Booth, CG. (2019). Aerial survey data for monitoring harbour porpoise population health. Report Number SMRUC-BEI-2019-003 Provided to BEIS, March 2019.

Verfuss, U.K., Aniceto, A.S., Harris, D.V., Gillespie, D., Fielding, S., Jiménez, G., Johnston, P., Sinclair, R.R., Sivertsen, A., Solbø, S.A., Storvold, R., Biuw, M., Wyatt, R. (2019). A review of unmanned vehicles for the detection and monitoring of marine fauna. Marine Pollution Bulletin. Volume 140, 2019, Pages 17-29.

Verfuss, UK, Gillespie D, Gordon J, Marques T, Miller B, Plunkett R., Theriault J, Tollit D, Zitterbart D, Hubert P, and Thomas L. (2018). Comparing methods suitable for monitoring marine mammals in low visibility conditions during seismic surveys. Marine Pollution Bulletin. Volume 126, January 2018, Pages 1-18.

Plunkett, R. (2017). Seal Telemetry Data in Relation to the Hornsea 3 Project. Report Number SMRUC-RPS-2017-008, Submitted To RPS, March 2017.

Sparling, C. & Plunkett, R. (2017). Predicting population change under different scenarios of population parameters and mortality rates. Report Submitted to Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay.

Sparling, C., Cook, A., Thompson, D., Smout, S., Tollit, D., Verfuss, U., Plunkett, R., Wood, J., Brookes, K., Bennet, F., Morris, C., Stringell, T. & Smith, K. (2017). Acceptable thresholds of change: how much is too much? A review of the population assessment of impacts on marine mammals. Submitted to NRW, April 2017.

Booth, CG, Harwood J, Plunkett R, Mendes S, and Walker R. (2017). Using the Interim PCoD framework to assess the potential impacts of offshore wind developments in Eastern English Waters on harbour porpoises in the North Sea. Natural England Joint Report, Number 024 York.

Thompson, D, Onoufriou J, Patterson W and Plunkett R. (2017). Strategic post consent monitoring of breeding harbour seals at the Wash SAC. Presented by Plunkett, R. at the Conference on Wind Energy and Wildlife Impacts, Estoril, Portugal, September 2017.

Sparling, CE. & Plunkett. R. (2016). Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay – Monitoring and mitigation review and feasibility report. Report number SMRUC-TLP-2016-010 provided to Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay, August, 2016.

Plunkett, R., Sparling, CE., Russell, DJF., Moss, S. & Hastie, GD. (2016). Race Bank Offshore Wind Farm Harbour Seal Telemetry Study: Interim Report #1 – Fieldwork Report. Report Number SMRUC-DON-2016-014 Provided to Dong Energy, November 2016.

Verfuss, UK, Plunkett R, Booth CG,and Harwood J. (2016). Assessing The Benefit Of Noise Reduction Measures During Offshore Wind Farm Construction On Harbour Porpoises. Report Number SMRUC-WWF-2016-008.

Booth, CG, Donnovan C, Plunkett R, and Harwood J. (2016). Using an interim PCoD protocol to assess the effects of disturbance associated with US Navy exercises on marine mammal populations: Final Report. Report code SMRUC-ONR-2016-004, submitted to the Office of Naval Research – Marine Mammal and Biology Program, February 2016 (unpublished).

Plunkett, R; Booth, CG. & Sparling, CE. (2015). Tidal Lagoon West Cumbria: Review of Marine Mammal Baseline Information and Recommendations for Marine Mammal Monitoring. SMRUC-TLP-2015-009 and SMRUC-TLP-2015-023, Submitted to Tidal Lagoon Power, December 2015.

Sparling, C., Plunkett, R., Gordon, J. & Gotz, T. (2015). The Use of Acoustic Deterrents For The Mitigation Of Injury To Marine Mammals During Pile Driving For Offshore Wind Farm Construction. SMRUC-TCT-2015-006, Submitted to The Carbon Trust, June August 2015.

Booth, C.G., Sparling, C.E., Plunkett, R., Scott-Hayward, L. & Rexstad, E. (2015). Collision Risk Simulation Modelling: Marine Mammals and Deep Green Device at Holyhead Deep. Report Number SMRUM-MIN-2015-005 provided To Minesto UK Ltd, March 2015.

Plunkett, R, Sparling, C. & Kidney, D. (2014). Anglesey Skerries Marine Mammal Monitoring: Land Based Vantage Point Survey trial. Report Number SMRUM-MCT-2014-012 Provided To MCT, November, 2014.

Booth, C.G., Plunkett, R. & Verfuβ, U. K. (2014). Interim Marine Mammal and Noise Monitoring at Invergordon Report. Report Number SMRUL-AFF- 2014-003 Provided to Affric Ltd, May 2014.

Key Projects

Offshore wind farm EIAs

• Inch Cape offshore wind farm post consent

• RaDIN2

• PrePARED

• AMETS/AFLOWT floating test centre EIA

• Awel y Mor offshore wind farm EIA

• Caledonia offshore wind farm EIA

• Codling offshore wind farm EIA

• Dounreay Tri floating offshore wind farm EIA

• Dublin Array offshore wind farm EIA

• Erebus offshore wind farm EIA

• Five Estuaries offshore wind farm EIA

• Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm EIA

• Hornsea 4 offshore wind farm EIA

• Moray West offshore wind farm EIA

• Muir Mhor offshore wind farm EIA

• NISA offshore wind farm EIA

• Outer Dowsing offshore wind farm EIA

• Pentland offshore wind farm EIA

• Rampion 2 offshore wind farm EIA

• Salamander offshore wind farm EIA

• Seagreen Phase 1 offshore wind farm EIA

• Thanet Extension offshore wind farm EIA

• West of Orkney offshore wind farm EIA

Other

• PCoD East of England CIA

• Seal telemetry and haul-out data in relation to various offshore developments

• Review and recommendations on assessment of noise disturbance for marine mammals

• Review of noise abatement systems

• Assessing the Benefit of Noise Reduction Measures

• Aerial survey photogrammetry assessment

• PCoD+ Priorities for Monitoring Programs

• iPCoD testing and development

Phone: +44 (0)1334 466011

Email: rrs@smruconsulting.com

Mail: Scottish Oceans Institute

East Sands

University of St Andrews

KY16 8LB

Scotland