Exeter scientists have established that footballer Eric Cantona was right - seagulls do follow the trawler.
A study has found that sea birds really can sense a fishing boat from miles away and alter their flight patterns to zoom in.
The French star left the public baffled with his 'philosophical' speech following an incident when he kicked a Crystal Palace fan in in 1995.
He said: 'When seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea.'
Exeter scientists have established that his words were literally true finding that a boat creates a 'halo of influence' for seven miles in every direction.
Gannets, Britain's largest seabird, can even differentiate a fishing boat from any other vessel.
They are less likely to be attracted to boats that simply drift along than to boats whose crews are actively fishing.
Exeter's Dr Thomas Bodey, who led the study tracking six colonies of northern gannets, said: 'While we knew that seabirds, including gannets, regularly followed fishing vessels, we were surprised at the distance at which the birds' behaviour was affected, expecting it to be a more localized phenomenon.'
The study, published in the journal Current Biology, said the findings demonstrate that fishing vessels which throw discards into the water have a far bigger ecological footprint than previously thought.
Dr Mark Jessopp of University College Cork said: 'The fact that birds responded differently to boats depending on whether they were fishing or not, and the type of gear they were carrying, indicates just how finely attuned these animals are to the opportunities humans can provide.'
