Kerstin Kröger

Dr. Kerstin Kröger is a Research Fellow at Queen's University Belfast's School of Biological Sciences and serves as an MPA Management Adviser at the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) in Aberdeen, UK. She holds an M.Sc from Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (CAU University Kiel) and a PhD from Victoria University of Wellington, NZ (2004).

• Education: M.Sc from CAU University Kiel; PhD from Victoria University of Wellington (2004)
• Current Roles: Research Fellow (Queen's University Belfast), MPA Management Adviser (JNCC)

Dr. Kröger specializes in deep-sea ecology, focusing on benthic biodiversity, anthropogenic disturbance impacts, and recovery trajectories. Her work bridges science, policy, and legal frameworks, particularly in offshore MPA management and deep-sea mining regulation. She contributes to the EU Horizon Project TRIDENT (Work Package 2) and develops management measures for deep-sea mining at international and regional scales.

Her recent research trends include legal frameworks for deep-sea mining, ecological thresholds for anthropogenic disturbance, and science-policy integration. She investigates how to balance resource exploitation with ecologically sustainable practices, emphasizing cumulative impact assessment and biodiversity conservation.

Dr. Kröger's advisory role at JNCC involves developing efficient MPA management strategies for environments with industrial activity. She participates in marine biodiversity monitoring initiatives like the UK Marine Biodiversity Monitoring Strategy and OSPAR Network assessments.