€4million project uses cutting edge technology to enhance the habitats of key fish species

€4million project uses cutting edge technology to enhance the habitats of key fish species - University of Plymouth

Releasing tagged bass into water near Salcombe as part of the iBass project (Credit Matt Doggett)

Led by the University, FISH INTEL will aim to establish a comprehensive picture of fish movements and the habitats individual species prefer

A cross-Channel partnership will use innovative underwater acoustic tracking technology to identify the environmental conditions a range of important marine species need in order to thrive.

The €4million FISH INTEL project, supported by €2.8million from the European Regional Development Fund via the Interreg France (Channel) England programme, will focus on a series of sites along the coastlines of southern England, northern France and Belgium.

Through a combination of fish tracking and underwater video surveys, the project will establish a comprehensive picture of fish movements and the habitats individual species prefer.

It will also contribute to a growing amount of data assessing the impact of fishing, climate change and other human activities – such as the development of offshore renewable energy sites and offshore mariculture – on the Channel/Manche region.