The National Federation of Fishermen’s Guilds (FNCP) has sent a letter to Isabel Artime, General Secretary of Fisheries, expressing the concern of the fishing sector about the installation of offshore wind energy on the Spanish coasts. She requests from the Fisheries Science Board a study of the impacts associated with this initiative.
Currently, almost 5,000 square km of maritime surface are reserved to install offshore wind farms. On the part of the sector, there is great concern about the possible impacts that these facilities may have on marine ecosystems and on our fishermen who may be expelled from their usual work areas.
These concerns have also been expressed in a recent report by the Court of Auditors of the European Union entitled ‘Marine Renewable Energy in the EU’ which highlights the lack of precise assessment of the environmental impact derived from the expansion of renewable energy in the European Union. This report exposes shortcomings in the Commission’s assessment, including the absence of quantitative estimates of the main economic effects on the fishing sector and the lack of comprehensive studies on the influence and impacts on nearby maritime areas.
Risks for employment and biodiversity
In particular, the report highlights the potential risks of job losses in the fishing sector due to the growth of marine renewable energy. It is noted that fishing vessels are only authorized to approach the vicinity of wind farms under specific conditions, which limits their access and potentially affects their activity. The report also highlights potential negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems, including collision with wind turbines, changes in water quality, loss or degradation of habitats, alterations in migration patterns and cumulative effects on marine life.
Although this report is addressed to the Fisheries Commission, it can also be transferred to Spain, since the need for an exhaustive and precise evaluation of the effects of offshore wind energy on the environment and on the fishing industry is evident, which must be a urgent concern, not only of the fishermen but of our administrations.
The Fisheries Science Table referred to in the letter was created by the Government in December 2022 to “debate solutions to the challenges faced by the fishing sector” both in terms of resources and social and economic issues. according to its own order of creation. This is why the president of said table, Isabel Artime, is requested to propose the preparation of a study. This would analyze the possible environmental and socioeconomic impacts that the implementation of offshore wind farms may have in some of the areas reserved for the development of these industries.
The Fisheries Federation affirms that the study would be focused on these areas, without prejudice to the specific environmental evaluation of future projects that may be presented, if applicable. It also ensures that it would serve to have a general framework on possible impacts based on the marine ecosystems present in these areas and the fishing footprint of Spanish vessels. This framework would serve as a basis for promoting companies when carrying out their future projects.
