Julie LUCAS

CEMARB project « Reconciling renewable renewable energy and biodiversity»

In the context of climate change, energy production represents one of the major socio-economic and environmental challenges of the coming decades, and raises major strategic, economic and financial stakes. Among marine renewable energy (MREs) producers, offshore wind farms (OWF) are currently booming, particularly in Europe. OWF can generate noise, vibrations and disrupt ecological continuity. Also, by transporting the energy produced, the underwater power cables within wind farms generate electromagnetic fields that can affect the behaviour of electro- and magneto-sensitive species, which use electromagnetic fields to move and feed. The rapid growth of offshore wind farms is likely to amplify these effects, but existing information on their impact on ichthyological communities is still inadequate. The studies carried out are limited to a few species of commercial interest and over a relatively short period of time.

In this context, this project aims to respond to this gap and to identify and assess the effects of offshore wind farms and their connections on elasmobranchs, an electro-sensitive species at conservation risk. Early and juvenile stages of the lesser spotted dogfish Scyliorhinus caniculata will be exposed to electromagnetic fields of varying intensity for prolonged periods in a controlled environment. The impact of this exposure will be evaluated using a panel of biological indicators to assess the state of health of the individuals: development, condition index, aerobic metabolism and behaviour.  The results of this project will enable us to understand more precisely how elasmobranchs react to electromagnetic fields. It will improve our knowledge of the impact of MREs on marine species, providing essential information for managers and decision-makers to meet the challenges of developing MREs without harming marine biodiversity.