The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) is calling on world governments to take urgent action to restore Antartic marine protections after an unprecedented catch of krill–the tiny fish that are the main source of food many whales, penguins and seals was reported by the Associated Press. The farm-grown krill was supposed to be distributed across a wide geographical area. But because protection measures broke down, it was all caught in one area by trawlers.
Krill is at the base of the food chain in Antarctica and increasing demand from companies seeking to sell fishmeal, pet food and dietary supplements has led to a spiraling increase in catch. International negotiations at Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), the body charged with conserving marine living resources in Antarctica, broke down last year, resulting in lowering of protections related to krill catch. This reduction in protection allows the entire krill quota to be caught in a very small area.
The Associated Press reported that “journalists traveled to the icy waters around Antarctica in 2023 and observed how factory ships trawl in close proximity to whales whose numbers are still recovering from a century of industrial culling that nearly drove them to extinction. Underscoring the competition between humans and whales, three humpback whales were found dead or seriously injured last year in the long, cylindrical nets deployed by the vessels to vacuum up the paper-clip sized crustacean.”
Dr. Johnny Briggs, director of Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy, said: “When precaution gives way to exploitation, the consequences are stark: whales, penguins, and other predators suffer. The krill catch in the Antarctic Peninsula has hit the trigger level for the first time ever, just months after CCAMLR allowed key fishing protections to expire. The entire permitted catch was taken in a highly concentrated area, leaving the Southern Ocean’s most iconic predators with far less to feed on. If CCAMLR hopes to retain credibility at this year’s meeting in October, its members must restore precautionary, ecosystem-based krill management along with designating an MPA around the Antarctic Peninsula.”
The next round of negotiations on these issues will be held in Australia in October. Scientific research has previously shown that krill predators are negatively affected by fishing at an even lower level of catch than was seen this year.
Claire Christian, ASOC Executive Director, said: “CCAMLR Member States are not meeting their obligation to protect the marine ecosystems of the Antarctic Peninsula, an area already under stress from rapid global warming. When CCAMLR meets in October, the Members must advance critical protections for the Antarctic Peninsula through the creation of new krill fishery management measures and the adoption of the Domain 1 Marine Protected Area.”
The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) is a coalition of conservation organizations from around the world that defends the integrity of Antarctic and Southern Ocean ecosystems from encroaching human activities. Its mission is to protect the Antarctic and Southern Ocean’s unique and vulnerable ecosystems by providing the unified voice of the NGO community.
Emily Grilly, WWF-Australia Ocean Conservation Manager, said: “Antarctica’s fragile future is under siege. The record-breaking krill catch and the emergence of localised fishing ‘hot spots’ in the Antarctic Peninsula are deeply alarming. With the rollback of krill fishing regulations in 2024, we anticipate devastating impacts on the wider ecosystem. Whales, penguins and seals will suffer as their primary foraging grounds are increasingly targeted by industrial trawling fleets. CCAMLR must confront this challenge head-on and reaffirm its purpose: to conserve Antarctic marine wildlife.”
