However, there are growing concerns about the long-term impacts that this fishery might have on the overal health of the Southern Ocean's ecosystem
Leading the call is renowned oceanographer Dr Sylvia Earle, who said in a press release: “The Southern Ocean is one of the last truly wild places left on Earth. We cannot stand by and risk losing it all, especially when we know what must be done to protect it. If we act now, Antarctica and its wildlife can recover. We must protect it from exploitation before it’s too late.”
The call comes alongside a new report, All Eyes on Antarctica, which exposes the framework responsible for protecting Antarctic wildlife, the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), for failing in its duty to protect the marine ecosystem.
The report outlines how CCAMLR has not established a single new marine protected area (MPA) in nearly a decade, while also allowing the unsustainable expansion of industrial krill fishing.
As actor Benedict Cumberbatch noted: “Protecting the Southern Ocean isn’t optional - it’s essential for the health of our planet. The Southern Ocean plays a critical role in regulating the Earth’s climate. It is time we stand up to protect this ecosystem and the life it supports.”
A planetary tipping point
Krill, notably, Euphausia superba, are the species upon which the entire Southern Ocean ecosystem relies. Though small in size, they, and the phytoplankton they consume, are the cornerstone of the Antarctic ecosystem’s food web, and without them, species such as penguins, seals, and blue whales would not survive.
Krill also play a vital role in regulating the global climate by helping store carbon deep in the ocean, yet they are being extracted in vast quantities for pet food, farmed fish feed, and dietary supplements, forcing the wildlife to compete with industrial vessels.
Artist and activist, Sophie Hunter, remarks: “We must stop the extraction of wildlife from the Southern Ocean, particularly krill fishing, and we must establish protected areas where Antarctic wildlife can thrive free from the impacts of damaging human activities.”
Cumberbatch and Hunter are backing the Our Antarctica initiative, which has gathered an influential group of ocean leaders and advocates, including Dr Sylvia Earle, Andy Mann, Cristina Mittermeier, Paul Nicklen and Rashid Sumaila.
The report, which has been signed by 70+ signatories, sets out four urgent actions for CCAMLR to implement:
Close the Southern Ocean to krill fishing
Establish the Antarctic Peninsula Marine Protected Area
Reform CCAMLR to ensure it implements its conservation mandate
Protect at least 30 percent of Antarctica’s waters by 2030, in line with global targets
