Thousands of juvenile lobsters will be released at the site of its Triton Knoll offshore wind farm in an initiative by RWE and the Whitby Lobster Hatchery to help increase biodiversity in the North Sea.
The first batch of 2,500 juvenile lobsters were released in November, with the remainder set to be released at the offshore site early in 2025. Lobsters are a crucial link in the food chain and help regulate the populations of smaller organisms, such as crabs and sea urchins, which prevents imbalances in reef ecosystems. The lobsters will be released into rocks located at the base of the Triton Knoll offshore substation platforms, as this has been deemed the ideal habitat for lobsters.
If successful, there is the potential for a further 10,000 lobsters to be released over the next two years. The project, which is an industry first, will help protect the important local marine ecosystem and conserve lobster populations in the area, demonstrating RWE’s commitment to biodiversity and sustainability at its operational offshore sites.

As part of the agreement, RWE will also be providing investment to the hatchery to help cover the costs of additional staffing and the equipment needed to meet the demands of the hatchery operation and reporting.
RWE said the local fishing industry should benefit because the lobsters should spread out and repopulate themselves on a wider scale. This should improve fishing opportunities and, in turn, increase catches of fish and lobsters bringing more revenue to local fishing businesses.

Aurelia Pearson, Heath, Safety and Environment Apprentice at Triton Knoll led the development of the project and said: “Some of RWE’s key ambitions for community engagement are active collaboration and fostering meaningful partnerships that create shared value. Collaborating with Whitby Lobster Hatchery to build a more sustainable biodiverse environment encompasses both of these ambitions, and is very important to us at Triton Knoll”.
The Whitby Lobster Hatchery formally opened back in 2023 and has been provided with support and funding from RWE’s Sofia offshore wind farm. Alongside the hatchery, the small but knowledgeable team provide an educational and interactive outreach program showcasing not only the work in the hatchery but also a host of other, lesser-known marine species native to the UK.