Sand eel

[1] Many species are found off the western coasts of Europe from Spain to Scotland, and in the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas.

Sand eels are an important food source for seabirds, including puffins and kittiwakes.

Traditionally, they have been little exploited for human food, but are a major target of industrial fishing for animal feed and fertilizer.

[4] Increasing fishing for them is thought to be causing problems for some of their natural predators, especially the auks, which take them in deeper water.

An instance of this was the RSPB report linking a population crash of seabirds in the North Sea to fishing for sand eels.