Three passionate marine researchers: Lotte P, David, and Lotte D. Lotte P, who grew up along the coasts of northern Germany, developed her fascination with sharks early on and now focuses on marine wildlife and the impacts of offshore wind farms. David, hailing from Catalonia, found his love for marine life through snorkeling and diving, leading him to specialize in marine conservation and shark research. Lotte D, originally from Norway, discovered her interest in marine ecosystems after a life-changing encounter with dolphins in Greece, and later became dedicated to studying fish behavior and marine protected areas. Together, they bring a wealth of expertise to the EMFish project, exploring how electromagnetic fields from offshore wind farms affect shark species in the North Sea.

Offshore wind farms (OWFs) are increasingly proposed as an alternative to transition towards

renewable energy sources. The generated electricity is transported onshore via power cables,

which emit electromagnetic fields (EMFs). For species sensitive to EMFs, the effects of

anthropogenic EMFs remain unclear. The EMFish project investigates the impact of EMFs typical of OWF power cables on marine wildlife, focusing on the Endangered spiny dogfish (Squalus

acanthias) in the Southern North Sea.

Oyster: What sparked your interest in marine research and led you to pursue this career path?

Lotte P: I grew up near the Baltic and North Seas in northern Germany, where I spent summers at these coastal regions. My family often visited a shark aquarium, which fueled my fascination with sharks. After high school, I volunteered at the Alfred Wegener Institute, where I engaged in small research campaigns and decided to pursue marine science professionally.

David: I spent my summers in La Escala, a small fishing village in northern Catalonia. My father introduced me to snorkeling, which captivated me with the underwater world, particularly fish. Later, I took up diving and participated in MPA monitoring during my bachelor’s studies, which deepened my interest in marine research and led to further academic pursuits.

Lotte D: I grew up near Oslofjord in Norway, which was ecologically degraded. My interest in marine life began during a trip to Greece, where I fell in love with dolphins. Despite initially wanting to avoid working with fish, I enjoyed my master's project on sea trout and eventually pursued shark research.

Oyster: How did the idea for the EMFish project come about?

David: Lotte and I were colleagues and often did fieldwork together in the Netherlands. One early morning, I suggested an idea involving new acoustic technologies. We discovered the EuroMarine Oyster call and realized that Lotte D, whom we met at a conference, would be a great fit due to her expertise in shark tracking.

Lotte P: Our research group had shifted towards studying the impact of offshore wind farms on fish species. We saw an opportunity to expand the focus to sharks using acoustic receivers we had deployed.

Lotte D: I was initially hesitant about collaborating with unfamiliar people but was impressed by David and Lotte's enthusiasm and expertise. The collaboration has been highly rewarding.

Question 3: Can you provide an overview of the project and its current status?

Lotte P: The project explores the impact of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) emitted by offshore wind farm power cables on sharks. Sharks are sensitive to electric fields for detecting prey and use magnetic fields for navigation. We are testing acoustic telemetry combined with new sensors that measure magnetic fields to track sharks and assess potential EMF impacts.

David: We faced initial delays due to production issues with the tags. However, we conducted successful tag tests in the summer and tagged our first shark in October. Since sharks migrate away during winter, further tagging will resume in spring.

Lotte D: We established a collaboration with a wind farm operator to access data on electric currents through the cables, which will help us better analyze the magnetic fields’ dispersal. We plan to analyze the initial data while waiting for spring fieldwork.

Question 4: What is acoustic telemetry, and what are its potential applications?

David: Acoustic telemetry uses sound signals at set frequencies containing unique IDs, detected by receivers. This technology allows us to track marine animals’ movements.

Lotte P: Beyond studying shark responses to EMFs, this method has applications in marine protected area management, fish stock assessments, and understanding animal behavior and migration patterns.

Oyster: Why did you choose the spiny dogfish for this project?

David/Lotte: The spiny dogfish is a common species, small enough to handle, and it uses the entire water column. It's also vulnerable due to its long gestation period (nearly two years) and low reproductive rate. This makes it an ideal species for conservation study.

David: We hypothesized that the species might have a southern range limit, as it's more common in Norway. Despite multiple attempts, we didn’t catch any in Belgium, so we switched to the Dairy Smooth Hound shark, which has similar characteristics.

Lotte D: The Dairy Smooth Hound is also ovoviviparous, migratory, and grows to a similar size. It was a good alternative within our risk plan.

Oyster: How many attempts did you make before catching something and did you ever consider giving up?

David: We went out to sea 25 times, but on 15 of those days, we didn’t catch anything. It was frustrating, but we learned a lot and are planning to improve next season.

Lotte P: It was our first field season, so while it wasn’t ideal, we learned valuable lessons and are prepared for next year.

David: Yes, we learned what works and what doesn’t, and we’re already making plans for next year’s field season. it became a personal challenge for me. We were determined to push forward, not just for us but for all the colleagues behind the project.

Lotte P: We focused on doing our best, and though we didn’t succeed as much as we hoped, we’ll apply what we learned next time.

Q: Now that you’ve talked quite broadly about the difficulties that came with this project, I’d like to hear your opinion on how you evaluate your experience overall as the leader of this project. Being a PI is quite a responsibility, especially as early-career researchers. How has it been for you to take on that leadership role?

Lotte: I think it's been a great opportunity. Being the PI of this project is a bit daunting, but it’s also an amazing learning experience. I feel really thankful to EuroMarine Oyster for providing this opportunity because it fills a gap for early-career researchers like us. It’s helped us learn how to manage projects, assess risks, and understand how to handle difficult situations. It's definitely a big learning curve, but it's really preparing me for future projects.

David: Yes, I agree. It gives us the chance to take on responsibility, manage risks, and face challenges, which is a huge learning opportunity.

Q: As the PI, do you feel you have the freedom to make decisions? How do you approach decision-making, especially when things don’t go as planned?

Lotte P: Yes, it feels empowering to be the PI. We have the freedom to make decisions based on the proposal and its limits, but it also means we really have to reflect on our choices. If something goes wrong, it’s on us, and we need to be prepared to explain why we made those decisions. There’s a lot of pressure, but it’s a great learning experience.

David: We worked closely with a company to develop the tags, and when we finally got the prototypes, we had to make sure they would work in such a challenging environment. There was a lot of anxiety about whether it would work out. But the learning process is invaluable—writing the proposal, working through every step, and facing challenges head-on.

Q: How has the process of managing the project shaped your approach to future work and research?

Lotte: It has definitely shaped my perspective. It’s given me insight into the responsibilities of leading a project and dealing with the unexpected. In the future, I’ll know how to navigate complex situations better and not be too optimistic about timeframes.

David: Exactly. It's prepared us well for leading future projects because we've experienced firsthand what it feels like to be responsible for all aspects of a project. It gives us the confidence and knowledge to handle future challenges.

Q: How do you feel about collaborating with others on this project?

Lotte: We’ve been fortunate to work with great people. The collaboration has been really enjoyable, and it’s great that we’ve become friends through this project. I think it’s a wonderful opportunity to not only collaborate scientifically but also to develop relationships that can continue beyond this project.

David: The collaboration has been fantastic. I hope we continue to work together on future projects. The support from EuroMarine Oyster has really helped us a lot in terms of networking and collaboration.

Q: Now, let’s talk a bit more about your personal interests outside the project. Do you have any other research topics or areas within marine science that fascinate you?

Lotte P: I love studying animal movement and behavior, especially in the Norwegian fjords. It’s such a unique environment with a lot of activity, and we know very little about how human impacts affect marine life there. I’m also really interested in working with sharks and rays, as we still know so little about many of these species.

David: I share Lotte’s interest in the shark and ray community. It’s such a friendly and open group of researchers, and I love the idea of studying animal behavior in these fjords, particularly using remote underwater video surveys. It's fascinating to explore these less invasive methods to better understand marine ecosystems.

Lotte D: I also find marine protected areas (MPAs) and long-term monitoring to be really interesting. Seeing the positive effects on species populations over time and understanding how connectivity between MPAs can improve protection is something I really want to explore further.

Q: Are there any individuals who inspire you in your research career?

Lotte P: For me, it’s not just one specific individual, but I’m really inspired by people who, despite being in higher positions and managing teams, still stay engaged with the actual work. They code, do fieldwork, and remain connected to the work they’re leading. That’s really impressive to me. I also admire people who are willing to ask questions, even when they’re experts, because it shows humility and a genuine desire to learn.

David: I’ve been lucky to work with inspiring researchers who are open to new ideas and exploration. They’re not afraid to take risks or work together to figure out how to make something feasible. That mentality really motivates me.

Lotte D: For me, it was my previous supervisor during my internship in Barcelona. He showed me that academia isn’t just about publishing papers—it’s about making a real-world impact. That’s what inspired me to pursue this career. Also, I have a great appreciation for my master’s supervisor, who taught me so much about working with acoustic telemetry data.

Q: How do you manage the work-life balance, especially in such a demanding field?

David: It’s a tough question. For me, I try to take holidays whenever possible to disconnect from work. I also enjoy playing the guitar, cooking, and fishing. Even though it can be hard to separate work from life, I try to focus on things outside work that bring me joy.

Lotte: It’s difficult to find a clear separation, especially when you’re living abroad. But I try to make the most of weekends and enjoy hobbies like cooking and spending time with friends. It’s important to take time for yourself to recharge.