Fleur Visser

I study the deeper parts of the seas and oceans, with the aim to help define and reduce the consequences of our marine activities. My research began by testing the effects of noise on cetaceans. Cetaceans, as well as their prey, and marine life in general, are highly dependent on sound, and thus are sensitive to disturbance from human noise sources. Almost half of all whale species hunt in the deep sea, although the density of squid - their prey animals - seems lower there. From our field and laboratory studies it appears that deeper living squids may provide more nutritional value because they are larger.