All human activities at sea are sources of underwater noise, and the shallowness of the English Channel makes it prone to the propagation of sound waves over great distances with little attenuation. Underwater noise has until now remained understudied relative to other anthropogenic impacts at sea, particularly with regard to noise effects on the emblematic species of the Normandy fishing industry.
The SIG ECUME has hence started to investigate this topic, firstly with an inventory of noise sources in the English Channel carried out by the LOMC laboratory at the University of Le Havre Normandie, based on available acoustic data.
The EBESCO project (Effets du Bruit sous-marin sur les Espèces à Intérêt Commercial – Effects of underwater noise on species of commcercial interest) was subsequently set up to develop a noise propagation model and map underwater noise in the English Channel. By cross-referencing noise maps with species distribution maps, the projects aims to identify areas of risk in terms of underwater noise effects on marine fauna. Finally, the impact of noise on two species of commercial interest (scallops and whelks) will be tested at sea. This project is led by the CRPMEM in cooperation with Ifremer and the LOMC laboratory, with funding from the FEAMPA fund and the Normandy Region, with co-financing from the project partners (2024-2026).
EBESCO project key informations:
