What is krill used for?

This small crustacean, also known as Euphausia superba, forms the foundation of the food web in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica.

Krill is the primary food source for most mammals and birds living in Antarctica. Many migratory species, such as whales, even travel each year across the ocean to the Antarctic Peninsula to feed on these krill populations, which provide them with enough energy to sustain reproduction later in the tropical waters where they give birth. Owing to its immense biomass, krill also plays a central role in capturing atmospheric carbon within polar ecosystems. By feeding on phytoplankton and then sinking to the ocean floor, it contributes to the long-term sequestration of carbon that would otherwise fuel climate change.

Today, krill populations are undergoing multiple environmental changes that are only just beginning to be studied and understood. These changes, largely linked to climate warming and increasing whale populations, are being exacerbated by growing pressure from industrial fishing. Over the past decade, krill catches by industrial trawlers have steadily increased and become more concentrated in areas of high ecological importance. These fisheries directly compete with the feeding needs of whales, seals, and penguins.

Highly valued for its oils and proteins, krill is primarily harvested to feed farmed salmon in Norway, produce dietary supplements such as omega-3s, and manufacture pet food. This industry, which currently benefits a small number of corporations and more affluent consumers, is placing increasing pressure on one of the last relatively untouched regions of our planet.

The establishment of Marine Protected Area Domain 1, which we support, would introduce spatial management measures in the Antarctic Peninsula, regulating not only the volume but also the distribution of krill fishing activities. Such measures would help ensure a balanced distribution of fishing pressure across seasons and habitats, and would contribute to minimizing the impacts of this industry on species that depend on krill for their survival.