A meeting is due to be held on Friday this week at the Garopole in Abbeville, where French fishermen hope that this latest development will not be allowed to go through.
The proposed 110 square kilometre windfarm development is in the Estuaires Picards et de la Mer d’Opale Marine Natural Park (MNP) and the park’s Board of Management has to take a decision following several months of technical appraisals of the environmental aspects filed by private developer ENGIE, EDPR and Caisse des Dépôts.
‘Within the boundaries of the MNP, the area requested by project’s developers are some the best fishing grounds in the Channel,’ said Olivier Becquet, Vice-Président of the Normandy Regional Fisheries Committee.
‘The review of the studies attached to these requests highlights shortcomings and omissions, and also the long-term impact on the ecosystem, and thus on the fishing vessels. Richness and natural productivity of these sandbanks allow four hundred fishermen to come there every year. Over the last decade or more, the commercial fishermen are strongly opposed to this windfarm project and hope that the Board of Management will give an negative answer this Friday,’ he said.
‘The French Agency for Biodiversity will have to validate the MNP’s position at the end of November. Of course, French fishermen are strongly opposed to this particular project, but are absolutely not opposed to every offshore windfarm project.’
The meeting takes place on Friday 20th October, 1400 to 1630.
