By Fatma Younis
Leading oceanographer Sylvia Earle has called for a complete halt to Antarctic krill fishing as delegates from 26 nations, including the United States, China, and Russia, meet in Australia to negotiate expanding catch limits for the tiny crustacean.
Krill Fishing Halted Early
The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) summit remains deadlocked over an industry proposal to increase the quota. For the second consecutive year, krill fishing was suspended in August after trawlers, primarily from Norway and China, reached the 620,000 metric tonne limit before the season's end.
Critical Role in Ecosystem and Climate
Earle, 91, a former chief scientist of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, argued that no sustainable extraction of krill is possible. The crustaceans serve as a vital food source for whales, penguins, seals, and other marine life, and researchers say they play a significant role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Warming oceans are also forcing krill populations to migrate toward colder waters near the South Pole.
Industry Pushes for Expansion
Norway's Aker BioMarine, which harvests about two-thirds of the global krill catch, supports a plan to raise the overall quota while spreading fishing activity to avoid concentrated pressure. The company's chairman, Matts Johansen, cited United Nations food agency assessments backing the fishery's sustainability and noted growing demand for omega-3 supplements. Environmentalists and CCAMLR's scientific committee insist any expansion must be paired with a long-delayed marine protected area near the Antarctic Peninsula, first proposed by Argentina and Chile a decade ago.
