· Leaders have failed to come to an agreement on critical fisheries management measures to protect Antarctic krill, penguins, whales and seals at a meeting in Hobart.
· Krill help regulate the Earth’s climate and are a critical source of food for iconic marine wildlife.
· Countries must bridge geopolitical differences and protect this pristine wilderness before it is too late.
WWF is calling for a moratorium on Antarctic krill fishing to protect krill and the wildlife that rely on them after leaders failed to come to an agreement on critical fisheries management measures at a meeting in Hobart.
The annual meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) wrapped up late last night (31 October).
After lengthy negotiations, there was no agreement on long term improvements to the krill fishery or designating a new marine protected area in the Antarctic Peninsula region.
For the first time ever, the krill fishery was forced to close early in 2025 after its entire 620,000T annual quota was rapidly caught. The early closure was a consequence of a critical protection measure - which spatially distributed krill catch - being allowed to lapse in 2024.
Due to CCAMLR’s failure to resolve this issue, the krill fishery will continue to be managed without precautionary regulations in place with the whole quota able to be taken from any small area around the Antarctic Peninsula.
The Peninsula is a hotspot for Antarctic wildlife, especially whales and penguins.
As the industrial krill fishery has expanded, reported incidents of seabird, seal and whale bycatch have grown, indicating the fishery is concentrating in key foraging grounds for these krill predators.
Sir David Attenborough’s Oceans documentary showed the impact krill fishing can have on these magnificent animals and that risk will only be heightened as a result of this year’s meeting.
WWF is calling for a moratorium on krill fishing to protect these vital species until a new, highly precautionary and ecosystem-based management framework is agreed.
Emily Grilly, Ocean Conservation Manager at WWF-Australia, said:
“Antarctica is one the world’s last truly pristine environments, and already under immense pressure from climate change. Without safeguards in place, krill fishing cannot continue at current levels - let alone be increased, as some are proposing.
“Australia has historically shown great leadership in Antarctic conservation. We were one of the original signatories of the Antarctic Treaty and former Prime Minister Bob Hawke played a pivotal role in preventing mining of Antarctica.
“Now, we are witnessing the slow erosion of Antarctic protection by a small number of countries. It’s time for ocean leading countries like Australia to support a moratorium on krill fishing until adequate fishing safeguards and marine protection measures are put in place.”
Rhona Kent, Polar Oceans Programme Manager at WWF UK, said:
“Antarctic krill are the superheroes of the Southern Ocean, sustaining incredible marine life, but climate change and unsustainable fishing are putting them at risk. With sea ice declining and industrial fishing growing, we urgently need CCAMLR to better manage the fishery and protect krill and krill predator habitats within a network of marine protected areas.”
NOTES TO EDITOR:
- The Antarctic Peninsula is one of the most rapidly warming regions on the planet, and the location of a large-scale industrial krill fishery.
- Climate change is projected to drive major fluctuations in wildlife populations, particularly for Antarctic krill – a key species in the ecosystem – with shifts in distribution and declines in abundance already recorded.
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