A multidisciplinary team led by the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC) and the University of Santiago de Compostela will spend the next three years analysing the biological, socioeconomic, and legal repercussions of floating offshore wind farms on professional fishing in Galicia, Catalonia, and the Balearic Islands.
PESCAEOLO was launched last August as a pioneering initiative in Spanish scientific research, aimed at comprehensively assessing the interactions between offshore wind energy development, fishery resources, and extractive activities. The research, co-led by the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC) and the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), is funded by the State Research Agency and scheduled to run for three years. The project aims to provide scientific evidence regarding the impact of wind infrastructure in the waters of Catalonia, Galicia, and Menorca, where baseline information on these impacts remains extremely limited.
As offshore wind developments continue to expand to meet energy decarbonisation targets, their footprint overlaps with maritime areas of vital importance to the fishing sector. Associated infrastructure—including floating wind turbines, electrical substations, and export cables—introduces changes to the marine environment and fishing operations that require thorough investigation.
The primary objective of PESCAEOLO is to analyse these effects across three High Potential Areas for Offshore Wind Energy (ZAPER), as designated in Spain's Maritime Spatial Plans (POEM) approved in 2023. The study will cover the ZAPER NOR 1 area in Galicia, characterized by the coexistence of bottom trawling and artisanal fishing; the ZAPER LEBA 1 area in the Gulf of Roses (Catalonia), dominated by trawling; and the ZAPER LEBA 2 area near Menorca (Balearic Islands), which primarily focuses on small-scale fisheries.
Ecological and socioeconomic analysis
This comparative geographical approach will allow researchers to examine the specific impacts on each fleet type and marine ecosystem. Josep Lloret (ICM-CSIC) highlights the urgent need to deepen biological and ecological knowledge of the aquatic environment in light of this energy paradigm shift:
“It is crucial to determine with scientific precision how floating infrastructure and subsea cabling affect marine resources. The energy transition cannot come at the expense of biodiversity or fishing activity, which is why location-specific data is required to help anticipate and minimise any negative ecological impacts.”
Furthermore, the study will pay particular attention to the economic and social implications for the fishing sector. Restrictions on navigable space and potential shifts in resource availability could jeopardize the viability of many sea-dependent communities.
In this regard, Rosa María Regueiro (USC) emphasizes the importance of this holistic approach:
“Decarbonising our energy model cannot be decoupled from the economic sustainability of fisheries or seafood security. Therefore, the project will assess the true socioeconomic impact on various fleets to ensure that the transition to offshore renewable energy is fair, equitable, and respectful of a strategic sector (fishing) that supplies seafood.”
A multidisciplinary scientific consortium
To address this complex issue, the PESCAEOLO project brings together a transdisciplinary consortium of marine biologists, economists, and nautical engineers. The team includes researchers from the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC), the University of Santiago de Compostela, the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC), the University of Barcelona, the University of Girona, and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.
The team's extensive track record of engaging with fishers' guilds and associations will facilitate data collection and direct collaboration with industry professionals. The final outcomes aim to provide scientific tools for fishery and marine managers, contributing to improved maritime spatial planning. This will help ensure a sustainable, fair, and equitable rollout of offshore wind energy—without significantly undermining marine resources or fishing—within the regulatory framework of the upcoming Law of the Oceans and the commitments of the 2030 Agenda.