two whales stranded not far from the Fécamp wind turbine site

Published

Video length: 1 min.

France 2

Article written by

M.Larguet, Y.Junqua, P.Minet, France 3 Regions – France 2

France Televisions

Does the wind turbine site off Fécamp have a link with the two whales that washed up on the beaches? Some environmental associations make the connection. In 48 hours, two cetaceans were stranded a few kilometers away.

Two whales stranded in two days on the beaches of Seine-Maritime: a whale almost 20 m very thin in Saint-Valéry en Caux, and a minke whale 3 m in Veules-les-Roses. The Sea Shepherd ocean defense association is calling for an investigation. For her, the cetaceans could have been disoriented by the noise pollution generated by the wind farm in Fécamp, 40 km away.

Disorienting noises

For the scientists, it is impossible to affirm it, even if they note that certain strandings are related to the human activities and the underwater noises. “It can disorient, lead individuals not to feed, disrupt their relationship with their environment, change habitats”, says Jean-Luc Jung, director of the Dinard Marine Station. The main causes of groundings are natural death and collision accidents. Each year, between two and ten whales are found dead along the French coast.


source site-13