Within the framework of the establishment of a nuclear power plant on the coast of the town of Flamanville, Electricité de France has entrusted Ifremer with ecological and fishery studies on the site's surroundings. One of the expert assessments consists of conducting two shellfish fishing campaigns each year. Their objectives are to monitor the natural fluctuations of the main indicators selected during the start-up of the plant and to evaluate the impact of the plant on the surrounding fishery.

The French national network (REMI) includes a regular monitoring system and a warning system: - The regular monitoring system checks that the level of microbiological contamination in each production area remains within the limits set by the classification defined in the prefectural decree and tests unusual occurrences of contamination. - The warning system is triggered when results of the monotoring programme exceed or are at risk of exceeding the norms defining the quality classes and thresholds, or in case of contamination risk (pollution spillage, storms, etc.), or even in the case of a suspected or confirmed epidemic in shellfish.