Acoustic telemetry network
An acoustic telemetry network for monitoring fish and crustaceans
To study the effects of offshore wind farms on fish populations, around forty acoustic telemetry receivers have been deployed at offshore wind farm sites across the English Channel, Atlantic, and Mediterranean. At the same time, several hundred fish and crustacean individuals have been fitted with acoustic transmitters. Using this technological process, the movements of these communities can be recorded, providing insights into how they interact with offshore wind farms.
Our service offering
Why choose us?
A better understanding of the influence of wind farms and their expansion on fish behaviour, gained through acoustic telemetry, offers several advantages. On the one hand, this information facilitates the development of low-impact scenarios, thus promoting more environmentally-friendly planning. Furthermore, it improves the acceptability of projects, as stakeholders have access to reliable quantitative data. Finally, at the regional level, an in-depth knowledge of species’ habitats ensures that these areas are better considered when planning offshore wind farms.
France Energies Marines offers to assist you in:
The design of an acoustic telemetry network within offshore wind farms in France or abroad to address a specific scientific question (impact of the electromagnetic field, noise impact, impact of habitat modifications, etc.)
- Specific design according to the development phase of the wind farm (design, construction, operation).
- Development of a robust sampling plan and proposal of specific protocols to monitor fish behaviour.
- Determination of the number and species to be tagged.
- Technico-economic optimisation of the acoustic telemetry network architecture (number and location of acoustic receivers).
- Budget estimation.
The deployment of the network
- Requesting the necessary authorisations for the deployment of receivers and tagging of species.
- Deployment of the acoustic receivers.
- Tagging of target species.
Maintaining the network in operational conditions
- Retrieval of receivers and their data.
- Re-deployment of receivers after verification of their proper functioning
Data analysis of detections
- Data processing for better visualisation of movements.
- Data analysis to derive information on the frequency of the studied area, as well as behaviour and connectivity between wind farms.
Access to fish and crustacean detection data through the FISHOWF network:
50+ receivers, 300+ tagged individuals, 7 offshore wind farm sites across the MEMN, NAMO, and Med regions.
The experience gained by France Energies Marines in monitoring fish and crustaceans through acoustic telemetry in France is transferable to offshore wind farms abroad. France Energies Marines is particularly involved in European projects (FISHINTEL, NORTRACK, DTOTRACK), which have enabled it to develop a network of partners across Europe
Our resources and experts
Offshore Operations Team
The “Offshore Operations” team specialises in the deployment of biological and physical sensors, as well as the acquisition of hydrographic and oceanographic data. They oversee all offshore campaigns, covering preparation, execution, and operation monitoring. The team excels in managing large volumes of data, deploying, operating, and maintaining measurement devices, whether autonomous or integrated into structures such as buoys, measurement masts, wind turbines, and lighthouses, thus ensuring the accuracy and reliability of data collected in the marine environment.
Environment and Instrumentation Team
The “Environment and Instrumentation” team studies the environmental impacts of offshore wind energy on the environment and human activities across different ecosystem compartments (benthos, fish, birds, marine mammals, etc.). The team implements, defines when necessary, and uses innovative methods such as acoustic telemetry, environmental DNA, algorithm development, and data analysis, including those based on machine learning techniques.