Abstract
The ocean energy development is one of the main pillars of the EU Blue Growth strategy. However, while the technological development of devices is growing fast, their potential environmental effects are not well-known. The SafeWAVE project aims to improve the knowledge on the potential environmental impacts from Wave Energy projects. In the project scope, Work Package 2 aims to collect, process, analyse, and share environmental data related to four priority areas of research: i) Electromagnetic Fields, ii) Acoustics (noise), iii) Seafloor integrity, and iv) Fish communities. Four sites where Wave Energy Converters are operating in Portuguese, Spanish and French coastal waters will be monitored, representing different types of technology, different types of locations (onshore, nearshore, and offshore), and different types of project scales (single devices and arrays of devices), hence, different types and/or magnitudes of environmental impacts. The aim of Task 2.1 and the present report (Deliverable) 2.1 is to present the specific monitoring plans to undertake for each technology at each site.