Kees Camphuijsen

I am a marine ecologist and showed how strongly gulls’ lives are related to commercial fishing activities on the North Sea. In herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls colonies on the island of Texel, the chicks scarcely grow, and cannibalism is high if the fishing boats are in harbour during weekends. Research into birds requires a proper understanding of their environment, but also of their relations with other species. By mapping and quantifying those complex connections, we can understand more about the impact of human interventions, such as the construction of offshore wind parks or offshore islands.