EDINBURGH - Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) is a shrimplike crustacean a few centimeters long, supporting the marine food chain around Antarctica. The Antarctic krill fishing industry has been growing in the last two decades, driven by the global growth of aquaculture. Krill is considered a valuable alternative to wild fish as a protein ingredient for fish feeds, especially for salmon, trout and shrimp.
Independent researchers in Chile are worried about the impact of the growing fishery on the wildlife predator populations in Antarctica, already threatened by global warming. Meanwhile the krill fishing industry is expanding the fleet and planning to significantly increase the amount of catches in the next few years. The growing interest in Antarctic krill fishery is also blocking the creation of new marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean.
ONLINE:
- Killing krill: supermarkets and salmon farms under fire - The Ferret (Scotland), 11/08/2022
- La pesca del krill, le nuove farine alimentari, il boom dell’acquacoltura: così il piccolo gamberetto dell’Antartico arriva sulle nostre tavole, Corriere TV (Italy), 19/10/2022
- La pesca del krill, le nuove farine alimentari, il boom dell’acquacoltura: così il piccolo gamberetto dell’Antartico arriva sulle nostre tavole, One Earth (Italy), 19/10/2022
- Antarctic krill fishing boosted by fish farming, The Ferret (Scotland), 19/10/2022
- La geopolítica del camarón antártico: por qué China y Rusia no quieren proteger su pesca, El Confidencial (Spain), 19/10/2022
- Fish-feed industry turns to krill, with unknown effects on the Antarctic ecosystem, Mongabay (United States), 19/10/2022
- China and Russia block Antarctic protection, The Ferret (Scotland), 01/11/2022
- La pesca del krill batte l'ambiente marino. Cina e Russia fanno fallire il vertice sull’Antartide, Huffington Post (Italia), 07/11/2022
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