Monitoring an evaluation of electromagnetic fields from the power lines of the offshore wind parks on fish in the Scheldt sstuary

Power cables between offshore wind farms and the mainland create electromagnetic fields (EMF), which can potentially affect various species of fish and marine mammals. Little is known about whether these effects occur and, if so, in what form and on what scale. In addition, the question is at what burial depths EMFs can still be detected on the sea bed and in the water column.

For the Borssele offshore wind farm, a Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (MEP) must be drawn up in order to investigate the possible effects of the electromagnetic fields (EMF) on marine ecology.

In this project, we are investigating the effect of EMF on the migratory behaviour of diadromous fish, more specifically on the behaviour of the protected fish species twait shad (Habitat Directive, Natura 2000). In a first phase we will perform a desk study of the migratory behaviour of twait shad in the Westerschelde using data collected by acoustic telemetry in recent years.
In 2022, after the cables have been put into operation, we will again send in twait shad to compare their migration behaviour with the data collected earlier.

Keywords:fish, EMF, EVINBO, shad, migration, telemetry