Krill catch in Antarctica soars to record following collapse of conservation deal

Miami – The trawling near Antarctica for Krill – a central crustacean of the whale diet and a critical stamp of global warming – increased to a record and quickly approaches a seasonal capture limit never reached which would trigger the unprecedented early closure of the distant peaches, learned the Associated Press.

The fishing boom follows last year’s failure in the United States, Russia, China and two dozen governments to approve a new management plan which would have forced the spread of the area in which Krill can be captured and creating a California size reserve along the antarctic environment sensitive to the environment.

During the first seven months of the 2024-25 season, Krill fishing in Antarctic reached 518,568 tonnes, or about 84% of the limit of 620,000 tonnes, once reached, will force fishing to close automatically. In a hot spot, taking until June 30 was almost 60% higher than all the transport of last year, according to a report by the Commission for the conservation of antarctic marine life resources, or CCAMLR, the international organization which manages the southernity fishing.

The report, which has not been published publicly and which CCAMLR said contains confidential data, was shared with the AP by a person concerned by overfishing in Antarctic under the cover of anonymity because they were not allowed to disclose the information.

“The vast majority of the Krill taking is an increasingly small area,” said Captain Peter Hammarstedt, campaign director of the Sea Shepherd Global Conservation Group, who this year made his third trip to Antarctica to document fishing. “It is the equivalent of a hunter who says that they only kill 1% of the American deer population, but leaving aside that all deer was slaughtered in the Rhode Island.”

Krill is one of the most abundant marine species in the world, with an estimated biomass of 63 million metric tonnes. But the progress of fishing, climate change and growing demand for omega -3 from Krill – for fish flour, pet food and human food supplements – have increased pressure on Krill stocks. During the 2023-24 season, a fleet of 12 industrial trawlers from Norway and China has caught 498,350 tonnes of Krill – so far the largest harvest since CCAMLR began to collect capture data in 1973.

AP journalists went to frozen waters around Antarctica in 2023 and observed how factory ships traveled near the whales whose figures are still recovering from a century of industrial slaughter which has almost led them to extinction.

Stressing competition between humans and whales, three humpback whales were found dead or seriously injured last year in long cylindrical networks deployed by ships to suck the crustaceans of paper size.

Managers have been negotiating a new management plan for years that has balanced the growing Krill market with calls for greater protection from the Antarctic Peninsula, from the most northern point on the continent and an area teeming with whales and, more and more, tourists. Currently, less than 5% of the southern ocean is protected – well behind the CCAMLR objective and a United Nations objective to preserve 30% of the world oceans by 2030.

But a provisional agreement collapsed at the CCAMLR meeting last year on a last minute proposal by the United Kingdom and Australia for an even lower capture limit than that which accepted during the talks, reported in last year. China, opposing the persistent Western requests, then withdrew its support from the marine reserve and refused to renew the existing management system.

“The truth was that it was the United Kingdom,” said the largest Krill product supplier, the largest provider of Norwegian Aker Biomarine, the world’s largest supplier of Krill products. “Only a few days before the vote, the United Kingdom launched another suggestion and this is where the Chinese fell.”

A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office rejected this characterization and said that the British government continues to put pressure on a Krill management strategy that better protects the marine species in Antarctica and vulnerable ecosystems.

In the absence of an agreement, the restrictions adopted 15 years ago to distribute the expired capture limit, allowing Krill’s fleet to fish essentially anywhere at any time, including in smaller habitats preferred by whales and other animals such as penguins and seals.

Krill is not only vital for marine ecosystems. Increasingly, researchers focus on their role as rampart against climate change. A study evaluated by peers last year revealed that the Krill withdraws from the atmosphere and the store in the ocean 20 million tonnes of carbon per year. It is the equivalent of removing the road 5 million cars each year.

CCAMLR refused to comment on the report obtained by the AP.

The monitoring of ships analyzed by Global Fishing Watch at the request of the AP also showed a higher concentration of trawling. The activity in a popular fishing field, sub-palace 48.1, seems to have more than doubled this season compared to the entire 2023-2024 season, according to the United States group, which supports sustainable fishing.

Javier Arata, executive director of the Krill responsible for harvesting companies, whose members are responsible for 95% of the Krills from Antarctica, said that the capture limit that has shifted was still intended for a provisional measure.

His group supports the creation of protected marine zones in Antarctica. But he rejects while waiting for a conservation agreement to adopt “ready -to -use measures” increasing the quota, which, according to him, can be much higher.

“The inability to advance management was political and not scientific,” he said.

The current fishing levels, although higher than the previous limits, remain durable and reflect the consensual recommendation of scientists before last year’s agreement collapsed, added Arata.

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This story was supported by the financing of the Walton Family Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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