ROME – Famous oceanographer Sylvia Earle calls for an end to krill fishing near Antarctica as officials from the United States, China, Russia and 24 other governments negotiate this week a possible agreement to significantly expand shellfish fishing, a vital food source for whales in international waters surrounding this frozen continent.
« It is not possible to extract krill sustainably in Antarctica, period, » said Earle, who in 1990 became the first woman to hold the position of chief scientist of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in the United States, in an interview in Rome, where she promoted her conservation work. « The krill is essential to the integrity of the entire system – whales, fish, birds, seals, sea lions, whatever you want. «
His remarks come as the negotiators conclude the annual meeting in Australia of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Resources, or CCAMLR, an international organization that manages the world’s southernmost fishing. The group has been at an impasse for years regarding an industry-backed management plan to expand krill fishing, which environmentalists and the CCAMLR’s own scientific committee insist on accompanying the long-delayed creation of a marine protected area the size of California near the ecologically sensitive Antarctic Peninsula, which would restrict fishing. It was first proposed ten years ago by Argentina and Chile.
Krill fishing around Antarctica stopped in early August for the second consecutive year, after trawlers mainly from Norway and China reached a limit of 620,000 metric tons before the expected end of the season.
These tiny crustaceans are mainly harvested for the diet used for breeding farmed fish and for the oil contained in red omega-3 capsules taken to improve heart, brain and joint health. But other sources of omega-3 exist – in fish oil, algae, even some vegetables – and nutritionists say that it is not necessary to take dietary supplements if you adopt a balanced diet rich in fatty acids.
Researchers are increasingly studying the role of krill in the elimination of large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Krills are not only a bulwark against climate change – they are also victims. As the oceans warm, krill populations, who need water colder than 4 degrees Celsius (39 Fahrenheit) to survive, have begun to migrate to cooler waters near the South Pole, research has shown.
Earle was a pioneer of marine research
Earle, 91, was one of those who pioneered the use of scuba diving to conduct marine research after launching his career in the 1950s in the study of algae. In recent years, « Her Deepness », as it is sometimes called, has focused on conservation through Mission Blue, an organization that defends the so-called « Hope Spots » in the oceans essential to marine health. His work supports a United Nations goal to protect at least 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030.
Although krill is one of the largest biomasses on the planet, Earle, a vegetarian, said that there was no « safe number » that could be extracted without harming the surrounding Antarctic ecosystem. She criticized Aker BioMarine of Norway, a pioneer in the harvesting and marketing of krill-based products. The company was founded by billionaire Kjell Inge Rokke, who has accumulated a fortune in the Norwegian oil and gas industry.
« There is a country, Norway, with a really driven business mainly by an individual, which is responsible for bringing about two-thirds of the krill to market, » Earle said. « Part of it is used to make krill oil that has been marketed as good for our health. Maybe yes, but at what price for the environment? «
« This is all about choice. These are not necessities, » she added.
Aker CEO assisting in krill negotiations in Australia
Rokke remains the largest shareholder of the company, which was recently withdrawn from the Oslo Stock Exchange, via its industrial conglomerate Aker ASA. In 2024, Aker BioMarine sold its fishing and krill flour business, selling a majority stake to American Industrial Partners, a New York-based private equity company.
Aker QRILL President Matts Johansen attends CCAMLR conferences in Australia. In recent years, Johansen has tried to fill the differences between negotiators, by proposing a plan that would increase both the overall fishing quota while distributing the catch to avoid excessive pressure on a single hot spot. The company also supports the creation of a marine protected area near the Antarctic Peninsula.
“Decades of independent science from several countries, including the latest assessment by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, support the sustainability of krill fishing in Antarctica,” Johansen, who is also CEO of Aker BioMarine, said in a statement. “We recognize the concerns related to concentrated fishing activity, which is why we support stronger space management based on science. With El Niño putting pressure on global marine resources and omega-3 reserves, responsible fisheries like this matter more than ever. «
