Prospects for diversifying fishing activities within future floating wind farms in the Mediterranean and Atlantic

The EOLDIV project focuses on the three pilot sites “floating wind farms” selected in 2016 following the EOLFLO call for projects from the Ministry of Environment, Energy and the Sea. Two are located in the Mediterranean: 1) EOLMED project, off Gruissan-Port la Nouvelle (oocitanie), led by Quadran Energies MArines; 2) EFGL project (Floting Wind Turbines of the Gulf of Lion), off Leucate-Barcarès (occitanie), led by ENGIE. The third site is in the Atlantic, off Groix and Belle Île, operated by EOLFI/CGN. The establishment of future pilot sites will change the rules of access and operation of professional fishing within wind farms and in their immediate vicinity. The real impact and consequences of these installations are not yet known and assessed, but they must be anticipated within the framework of close and constructive collaboration between representatives of the fishing sector, industrial stakeholders and the State authority at sea. The EOLDIV project thus has a forward-looking dimension whose main objective focuses on the prospects for diversification and development of fishing techniques in future pilot farms. This technical, legal and scientific analysis is carried out through three complementary steps: 1) a state of the art of existing practices in wind farms in operation in foreign countries given that no farm is currently in commercial operation in France and therefore no experience acquired in terms of access/operation by fishing; 2) an analysis of the characteristics (potential, constraints and compatibility) of future pilot farms in relation to navigation and professional fishing practices; 3) the description of the profiles of the fleets, practices, gear, conditions of access and operation envisaged within the floating wind concessions.