Francis Kerckhof (MSc Ghent University 1980) is a marine biologist with a thorough taxonomic knowledge of many marine taxa, especially Cirripedia and Mollusca, and a special interest in non-native species. He is an expert in marine and coastal biodiversity involved in various marine conservation and management groups and initiatives. Also, marine litter and marine mammals belong to his area of expertise. His current research interests are focused on studying the hard bottom invertebrate communities on the Belgian offshore wind turbines and the natural hard bottom communities such as gravel and the former Ostrea reefs in the southern North Sea from an ecological and historical perspective.