Article externe

Antarctic krill fishing is now concentrated in the exact pattern conservation rules were designed to prevent

<name>Kim S. Bernard, Professor of Biological Oceanography, Oregon State University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kim-s-bernard-2745988"/>· 21 août 2026

A trawler fishes for krill in the Southern Ocean. AP Photo/David Keyton The companies fishing for Antarctic krill have harvested so much so quickly that the season had to close in August 2026, three months before it was scheduled to end. That’s the second consecutive year of an early closing. The f…

Résumé

Krill fishing limits exceeded

In August 2026, Antarctic krill fishing season closed three months early for the second year in a row.

This happened because companies reached a 620,000-ton limit called a trigger level, set by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR).

The trigger level is a safety cap designed to prevent overfishing by pausing operations once the limit is hit.

While the fishing industry states this shows the system is working, the concern lies in where the fishing is concentrated, not just the total amount caught.

The trigger level applies to a broad region called Area 48, which spans the Antarctic Peninsula and the Scotia Sea.

However, fishing is now heavily focused in a few small, productive areas within this region, raising ecological risks.

Lire l'analyse complète en 6 points →

Lire l'article