MIAMI — This year, two humpback whales were discovered deceased and another one gravely injured in extensive nets utilized for capturing krill, primarily for fishmeal and omega-3 supplements, around Antarctica. These whale fatalities, which have not been previously disclosed, were topics of discussion in recent negotiations involving the U.S., China, Russia, and several other countries. These discussions failed to yield advancements on ongoing conservation efforts and resulted in the lifting of certain fishing restrictions in the Southern Ocean that have been enforced since 2009.
The incidents of whale deaths in conjunction with the relaxation of catch limits are significant setbacks for the growing krill fishery. This industry has flourished in recent years and is anticipated to expand further due to the acquisition of Norway-based Aker BioMarine by a financially robust American private equity firm.
Journalists spent over two weeks last year in the icy Antarctic waters aboard a conservation ship operated by Sea Shepherd Global, gaining rare insights into the southernmost fishery globally. This investigation traced the journey of krill—which serves as a vital food source for whales—from its delicate ecosystem to various markets, including salmon farms in Europe, Canada, and Australia, manufacturers of pet food in China, as well as a former ice cream production facility in Houston, responsible for producing 80% of the world’s nutrient-dense krill oil.
During the annual meeting in Australia of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), delegates anonymously shared information with reporters about the whale deaths, as the discussions are not public. CCAMLR, which was formed in 1982 to safeguard the international waters near Antarctica, did not provide any comments regarding these revelations.
The krill catch has skyrocketed under a conservation agreement established nearly two decades ago, rising from 104,728 metric tons in 2007 to 424,203 metric tons in 2023, as more advanced vessels have entered the fishery. The catch for this year has surged to 498,000 metric tons—the highest on record, as per undisclosed reports.
While the fishing efforts still remain below a previously set limit and account for merely 1% of the estimated 63 million metric tons of krill populating the primary Antarctic fishing zones, competition among marine mammals has previously led to whale fatalities. Following the first recorded entanglements of four humpback whales in 2021 and 2022, Aker BioMarine adapted its fishing nets, which can capture about 500 metric tons of krill daily—equivalent to the daily consumption of approximately 150 humpback whales. The company first introduced a rope barrier to deter larger mammals and later developed a second barrier to address an existing gap that posed risks to whales swimming vertically.
However, the new net was not yet operational when a juvenile humpback was found deceased on January 27 aboard the Antarctic Endurance, Aker BioMarine’s most sophisticated supertrawler, as noted in a report presented by the Norwegian negotiators at the CCAMLR meeting. The circumstances around the second death in May aboard a different Aker BioMarine vessel remain uncertain, but two days prior, the ship reported challenges in maneuvering its net, and some blubber was retrieved from the conveyor belt, suggesting the whale was caught in the net for an extended period.
A live humpback was rescued in late January on a Chilean-flagged ship, the Antarctic Endeavor, using conventional trawling equipment. It took the crew approximately 40 minutes to free the 15-meter-long male whale, which had blood on its tail and was sent back into the ocean after being released. A report from Chile’s delegation at the CCAMLR conference noted that although the whale was seen swimming post-release, it displayed lethargy and sustained injuries from the net, leading scientists to classify the incident as a mortality event.
Additionally, a minke whale was found dead after becoming entangled in a buoy line from a South Korean ship targeting Patagonian toothfish, marking the first whale death documented in this fishery. Pressures on krill populations are mounting due to rising demand for omega-3 supplements, advancements in fishing technology, and increasing ocean temperatures driven by climate change.
Recently, New York-based American Industrial Partners acquired a majority share in Aker BioMarine’s feed division, aiming to promote krill as a premium ingredient in aquaculture, which currently supplies about half of the global seafood. Webjørn Barstad, the CEO of the newly formed Aker BioMarine Antarctic, emphasized that developing advanced solutions to reduce whale fatalities is a primary focus. Beginning next season, the fleet intends to include specialized stretch sensors to alert crews when whales interact with the front mesh of a trawler’s net, with possible underwater cameras also being utilized.
“Our goal is always zero incidents,” Barstad remarked. “We are optimistic that the net will perform its function, but we are exploring additional options as well.”
CCAMLR’s mission is centered on conservation while also overseeing the fishing sector. However, progress has stagnated in recent years due to geopolitical tensions, particularly stemming from opposition from China and Russia. Leading into the recent meeting, there was hope that a new management plan for krill distribution would receive approval, along with proposals for a sizeable reserve along the Antarctic Peninsula, recognized as a critical ecosystem. Currently, less than 5% of the Southern Ocean is protected, falling significantly short of CCAMLR’s objectives and the United Nations’ target to safeguard 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030.
The negotiations fell apart due to a last-minute proposal from the UK and Australia for a reduced catch limit beyond previous summer agreements. Consequently, China withdrew its support for the marine reserve and declined to renew the existing management structure. This led to a situation where the previously established 620,000 metric ton catch limit, which had been equally divided into four quota areas for the last 15 years, can now be consolidated into smaller, more concentrated krill hotspots, some of which are rich in wildlife and have already begun exhibiting stress from fishing activities, tourism, and climate change.
“This meeting was immensely disappointing, even by the low expectations we’ve come to accept,” stated Evan Bloom, who led the U.S. delegation to CCAMLR meetings for 15 years prior to his retirement in 2020. Bloom added that “krill is foundational to the Antarctic food web, and sustainable fishing practices are essential for the health of the entire ecosystem.” He voiced concerns that without proactive measures from CCAMLR, particularly with advancements in fishing methods, the risks to the ecosystem have increased considerably.
Barstad mentioned that the krill industry might consider implementing its own voluntary catch limits in the absence of an updated framework from CCAMLR. “Whether this constitutes a major setback, I’m not entirely convinced,” he commented. “Once we move beyond emotional responses to changes in regulations that have been around for several years, it might pave the way for more productive, science-based discussions on sustainable progress.”