Kittiwakes are cliff-nesting seagulls that have experienced catastrophic population declines linked to sand eel scarcity, with welfare crises at many traditional breeding colonies.
Kittiwake welfare at breeding colonies is critically affected by sand eel availability. When adults cannot find sufficient fish to feed chicks, mass starvation of nestlings occurs. Adults may abandon nests entirely in poor fishing years. The welfare crisis at kittiwake colonies reflects a broader ecological crisis in the North Sea driven by climate warming. Industrial sand eel fishing compounds the problem by competing for a dwindling resource.