Columnist and EnvironmentOverfishing of small fish has led to population declines in the birds that feed on them. Now the UK government's attempts to protect this crucial resource faces a serious challenge 26 February 2025 An Atlantic puffinAlex Cooper Photography/ShutterstockLast July I visited Bempton Cliffs, a nature reserve on the north-east coast of England managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.Throughout the spring and summer, around half a million seabirds nest on the precipitous chalk cliffs, making a cacophonous riot that is one of the most spectacular sights in the nature-denuded UK. A significant proportion of the worlds population of northern gannets breeds there, as do kittiwakes, guillemots, razorbills and the star attraction Atlantic puffins. Whales and dolphins can be seen offshore, though I was out of