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STUDY REPORT ON CUTTLET MONITORING
Concerned about developing an environmentally friendly and integrated wind project in the bay of Saint-Brieuc, Ailes Marines has set up a team of specialized engineers and doctors. It was important for the company to carry out additional studies for the sake of transparency and accountability.
Current cooperation between the offshore wind industry and scientists enables documentation of the impact during the construction and operation phases of the offshore wind farm. It can be designed, tested and further improved to directly manage the effects on the marine ecosystem, in order to develop a good understanding of the impact, in the short term and long term.
Report concerning the monitoring of cuttlefish in its environment during the construction phase
The cuttlefish is a sentinel species, it is part of the cephalopods. Their unique characteristics predispose them to a certain flexibility in the face of a changing environment. Likewise, their sensitivity serves as an indicator for the study of impacts, and in particular for environmental changes on the marine environment.
In 2021, the year the work started, the trends observed do not reveal any dysfunctions compared to previous years.
They will be verified with the analysis of the results to come in 2022 and 2023.
Result of investigations for monitoring the Benthos on the impacts
of the project in the construction phase in 2021
The benthos is all aquatic organisms living in relation to the seabed. Benthic organisms are animals or plants that live attached to the ground or move along the bottom. They find their food in the sediment and therefore depend on it for their sustenance.
The studies carried out on the work areas of the wind farm off the bay of Saint-Brieuc are as follows:
- Monitoring water quality
- Sediments
- Habitats
- Benthic communities
SETEC Environnement study office , with whom we have worked in particular for monitoring fisheries resources since 2017.
Video analysis of the area :
Given the diversity of erect species, sensitive to physical disturbance, the epibiosis* sessile** population appears to be in good condition.
*Epibiosis is a type of behavior used by organisms that live attached to a specific substrate.
**A sessile organism lives attached directly to the substrate.
Water analysis :
No pollution is detected, with regard to the 41 substances of the WFD, on the seawater sample taken.
Sediment analysis :
For all of the substances measured for the geochemical characterization of sediments, the results show an absence of contamination.
Analysis of benthic fauna :
Group 1 are species sensitive to hypertrophication.
Group 2 are the species indifferent to hypertrophication.
Given the fairly high proportions of groups 1 and 2 on the stations (note the presence of species tolerant to hypertrophication and opportunistic species in lower proportions), the study area presents little or no disturbance to the environment. , linked to an enrichment of organic matter.
These results are consistent with the type of environment studied, including the open environment with strong currents.
To follow the progress of the work and the next stages of installation of the elements of the park