Krill fishery near Antarctica shut early after record catch exceeds limit

CCAMLR has not provided a detailed comment, but officials confirmed the closure. Last year, multiple countries, including the US, Russia, and China, failed to approve a new plan for managing krill fishing. Without this plan, industrial trawlers were allowed to fish freely, including in areas where whales, penguins, and seals live. One area saw a 60% increase in the catch compared to the previous season.

Krill, a species crucial to marine food chains, is under increasing pressure due to fishing, climate change, and growing demand for its omega-3 oil used in fishmeal, pet food, and human supplements. In the 2023-24 season, a fleet of 12 trawlers caught a record 498,350 tons of krill, the highest amount since data collection began in 1973.

The increasing competition for krill has also led to several incidents where whales became trapped or injured in the nets used to catch the crustaceans.

Beyond being a food source, krill plays an important role in fighting climate change. A study found that krill removes 20 million tons of carbon from the atmosphere each year, the equivalent of removing five million cars from the road annually.

(With inputs from AP)