Three months of scuba diving in the depths of the Southern Ocean in Antarctica. Two Frenchmen are undertaking these extraordinary explorations in icy waters, reaching depths of up to 200 meters. The goal is to gather scientific data on marine ecosystems to learn how to better protect them.
This text is part of the transcript of the report above. Click on the video to watch it in its entirety.
A rare expedition along the Antarctic Peninsula(New window)On board a schooner, sailors, divers, scientists, and climate activists spent several months analyzing an environment increasingly threatened by human activities. One species is particularly endangered: krill. « Krill is a small copepod, but it’s at the base of the entire food chain here in the Southern Ocean and it’s extremely important. And we’re really just getting here before disaster strikes. Now is the time to implement strong protection measures , » explains Emmanuelle Périe-Bardout, co-founder of the Under The Pole expeditions.
Krill, victims of industrial fishing
These tiny crustaceans are increasingly threatened by industrial fishing. » Krill is fished on factory ships; there is no artisanal krill fishing, and its use can be considered non-essential. It is mainly used to feed our domestic animals, for example, to make cat food or omega-3 capsules used to make anti-aging skincare products without scientific proof of their effectiveness , » explains environmental activist Camille Étienne.
Chile and Argentina have been trying for several years to establish a large marine protected area. This project is stalled by financial interests linked to industrial fishing, which threatens an entire ecosystem.
source : France info
