since 2020 | Researcher in the project "Research on conflict resolution and development of management measures for the protection of grey seals of the German Baltic Sea". |
2017–2020 | Researcher and scientific diver at FIUM – Institut für Fisch und Umwelt GmbH & Co. KG |
2014–2016 | Student assistant at the Thünen Institute of Baltic Sea Fisheries |
2013–2016 | Master of Science Diversity and Evolution at the University of Rostock. Topic of the Master's thesis: „Influence of coastal defence structures on the decapod crustacean community at the coastal area of Helgoland“ |
2013 | Volunteer atlantic whale foundation, Tenerife |
2011 | Volunteer turtle foundation, Boa Vista |
2008–2012 | Bachelor of Science Biology at the University of Cologne Topic of the Bachelor's thesis: |
monitoring and assessment
To determine the stock size of grey seals in the German Baltic Sea, regular counts are conducted at the main haul-outs, „Großer Stubber“ and „Greifswalder Oie“. Since 2020 annual flight surveys are performed additionally. The parallel counts of all Baltic Sea neighbouring states enable an estimation of the entire Baltic Sea population.
Conducting the surveys
For more than four decades, the German Oceanographic Museum has been carrying out a marine mammal stranding and dissection program along the coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Through these examinations, conclusions can be drawn about the health of the population. This long-term and continuously updated data set allows the identification of trends or special events.
Grey Seals – fisheries – conflict
Due to the overlapping „prey“ there are frequent interactions between seals and fishermen. The systematic hunting as „fishing rodent“ led to extermination of grey seals in German waters in the 1920s. Since the return of the protected species, this conflict is germinating again. The project goal is to develop proposals for sustainable management measures to mitigate by-catch and seal induced catch-losses.
Public Relations
Information events on the topic of marine mammals
Živaljić, S., Schoenle, A., Nitsche, F., Hohlfeld, M., Piechocki, J., Reif, F., Shumo, M., Weiss, A., Werner, J., Witt, M., Voss, J., Arndt, H. (2018): Survival of marine heterotrophic flagellates isolated from the surface and the deep sea at high hydrostatic pressure: literature review and own experiments. Deep-Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography Volume 148, 251-259.
