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Christian K. Bagongon Reporter

Antarctic Krill Fisheries

All about : Antarctic Krillis a species of krill found in the Antarctic waters of the Southern Ocean.

shrimp-like invertebrates that live in large schools, called swarms

Antarctic KrillEuphausia superba

They feed directly on minute

phytoplankton

often referred to as light-shrimp because they can emit light, produced by bioluminescent organs.

Females lay 6,000–10,000 eggs at one time.

Geographical distribution:

provides an important food source for whales, seals, Leopard , squid, ice fish, penguins, albatrosses and many other species of birds.

Reason of it’s abundance:Reason of it’s abundance: the waters around the icy the waters around the icy

Antarctic continent harbor one of Antarctic continent harbor one of the largest plankton the largest plankton assemblages in the world, assemblages in the world, possibly the largest. The ocean possibly the largest. The ocean is filled with phytoplanktonis filled with phytoplankton

Let’s Go to Krill Fisheries:Let’s Go to Krill Fisheries: the largest fishery in the Southern the largest fishery in the Southern

Ocean since the late 1970s and has Ocean since the late 1970s and has prospects for becoming the largest prospects for becoming the largest global fishery global fishery

Detection of krill swarmsDetection of krill swarms : :

sonar and echo-sounder are sonar and echo-sounder are used to detect krill aggregations.used to detect krill aggregations.   

Harvest

Recent studies (November 2004) have shown Recent studies (November 2004) have shown that stocks of krill in Antarctica have declined that stocks of krill in Antarctica have declined dramatically in recent years.dramatically in recent years.

Krill numbers may have dropped by as much Krill numbers may have dropped by as much as 80% since the 1970's - so today's stocks as 80% since the 1970's - so today's stocks are a mere 1/5th of what they were only 30 are a mere 1/5th of what they were only 30 years ago.years ago. The decline in krill may  in turn The decline in krill may  in turn account for the decline in the numbers of some account for the decline in the numbers of some penguin species. penguin species.

Krill ShortageKrill Shortage

The reasons for this decline:The reasons for this decline:

fall in the amount of sea ice in the winter fall in the amount of sea ice in the winter months particularly in the Antarctic months particularly in the Antarctic Peninsula region. Peninsula region.

Global warmingGlobal warming

Expanding fishery on the Antarctic Expanding fishery on the Antarctic ecosystem.ecosystem.

Ecological Concern:Ecological Concern:

competition for krill between fishing competition for krill between fishing vessels and krill predators (penguins and vessels and krill predators (penguins and seals )seals )

penguins and albatrosses might be having penguins and albatrosses might be having difficulties in rearing offspring successfully. difficulties in rearing offspring successfully.

Concentrated fishing may have its Concentrated fishing may have its maximum impact on predator breeding maximum impact on predator breeding success success

Method in solving the problem:Method in solving the problem: The Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic The Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic

Marine Living Resources(CCAMLR) has Marine Living Resources(CCAMLR) has responded to the risk of competition between responded to the risk of competition between krill fisheries and predators by sub-diving the krill fisheries and predators by sub-diving the Subareas in the South Atlantic into 15 SSMUs Subareas in the South Atlantic into 15 SSMUs (“Small-scale Management Units”) (“Small-scale Management Units”)

Another measure taken by CCAMLR to avoid Another measure taken by CCAMLR to avoid this type of localised impact is the requirement this type of localised impact is the requirement that the total catch in the South Atlantic should that the total catch in the South Atlantic should not exceed 620,000 tonnes until this subdivision not exceed 620,000 tonnes until this subdivision has been completed. has been completed.

Let us do something to save the mother earth!

Thank You!