Geassocieerd voorkomen van zeevogels en dwergvinvissen balaenoptera acutorostrata in de Noordzee, september 1988

Seabirds and cetaceans were counted this autumn on board of the fishery research vessel MV Tridens along the British east coast. On 21st of September some 20 miles east of Aberdeen, 2 Minke Whales were observed and some seabirds associated with them. The first whale, soon at 56° 45,9 N, 01°30,6 W, was followed by a flock of seabirds including 20 Fulmars Fulmarus glacialis, 12 Sooty Shearwaters Puffinus grlscus and 7 Great Skuas Stercorarius skua, perhaps interested in the whale’s excrements. The other Minke Whale was seen at 56°56,0 N, 01° 30,5 W, together with 12 fishing Gannets Sula bassana, obviously attracted by schools of fish chased to the surface by the whale. It is hoped that more encounters with Minke Whales in the North Sea will follow the tremendous growth of the Herring-stocks in recent years and the authors would like to receive details of any associated seabirds, their numbers and behaviour, from future seabirders at sea.