The objective of the CEMFISH-CEMARB project was to study the potential impact of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on marine fauna, given the growing number of marine renewable energy (MRE) projects and the lack of knowledge regarding the effects of these EMFs on migratory fish and elasmobranchs.
The development of marine renewable energy is driving a significant expansion in the use of subsea power cables. These cables emit electromagnetic fields that can affect marine species, particularly migratory fish and elasmobranchs. However, these effects have not yet been fully studied, and few studies have focused on early life stages.
To help better understand these effects, the CEM FISH project was conducted at our Marseille facility, in specially equipped tanks, over several years and using juveniles of various species. This project, which resulted from collaboration with various specialists—including RTE for the development of EMF-generating coils, Ecocean for conducting the experiments, and the Universities of Exeter, Bristol, and Perpignan for developing protocols and analyzing data—demonstrated that the few significant results found did not indicate any effects of EMF on fish.
The project in pictures
Four species were exposed to different levels of electromagnetic fields continuously for 12 weeks. An automatic EMF shutdown system allowed operators to safely perform various procedures. Several biological parameters were measured at regular intervals over the 12-week period to answer the research question.
