Follow-up actions

Passive acoustic monitoring of marine mammals

Objectives and methodology

The objective of monitoring marine mammals "by passive acoustics" is to provide information on cetacean activity in the area of the offshore wind farm before construction (reference state), during the construction, operation and dismantling phases. These were communicated to the SMC in April 2019.

Seven acoustic stations are positioned at different locations in the study area, each recording high frequencies (porpoises, clicks) and low frequencies (low and medium frequency cetaceans, ambient noise). Two stations are positioned in the wind farm, and the five others are arranged in stars around the area at 10 and 20 km apart.

Registration is effective 33% of the time. Equipment maintenance is carried out approximately every 3 months and the data obtained is processed back to shore.