Krill fishing danger to Antarctic ecosystem

Industrial fishing for krill in the Antarctic Ocean to satisfy the global health supplement market is threatening one of the world’s most important marine ecosystems, a report has found.

Environmental campaign group Greenpeace has uncovered alarming fishing practices off Antarctica, including plundering waters near important protected marine areas.

The charity says industrial trawling for krill is being driven by a growing global demand for products such as Omega-3 tablets, pet food and fishmeal for farmed fish.

A five-year investigation, which tracked the movements of krill trawlers, found a pattern of fishing activity ‘‘increasingly close to shore and in the immediate vicinity of penguin colonies and whale feeding grounds’’.

It highlighted incidents of fishing boats catching fire, running aground and being involved in oil spills.

The report comes amid the launch of a global campaign to create a network of ocean sanctuaries that would cover 30 per cent of the world’s seas by 2030 to protect areas vulnerable to climate change and fishing.

Much of the krill fishing industry is centred on the Weddell Sea, a huge swathe of water off Antarctica being considered for the world’s biggest marine sanctuary.

Greenpeace is calling for immediate restrictions on all fishing activities in areas being appraised for such a status.

Frida Bengtsson, from the charity’s Protect the Antarctic campaign, said: ‘‘Climate change is impacting krill numbers and Antarctic wildlife shouldn’t have to be directly competing for food with trawlers just so these companies can sell health pills on the other side of the world.

‘‘If the krill industry wants to show it’s a responsible player, then it should be voluntarily getting out of any area which is being proposed as an ocean sanctuary, and should instead be backing the protection of these huge swathes of the Antarctic.’’

Demand for krill has grown steadily since 2010, with Norway and the Chinese entering the fishing industry and a large increase in catches by South Korean vessels.

Small, shrimp-like crustaceans, krill are a cornerstone of the marine food chain and form a major part of the diet of whales, seals, penguins and seabirds.

They play a key role in regulating carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, as waste from the algae they eat moves carbon into deep waters.

But populations are under threat from a burgeoning appetite for krill-based health products, which proponents claim can help with ailments such as heart disease and strokes.

The global market for krill oil was valued at US$204.4 million in

2015, while in New Zealand alone the nutritional health supplement market is worth more than

NZ$250m.

Amid a surge in fishing intensity, Greenpeace analysed the movements of krill trawlers to show where they visited and their likely fishing speeds.

As well as uncovering intensive fishing close to areas vital for whales and penguins, vessels were found to be anchoring in protected waters, despite recommendations not to because of the potential impact on wildlife and the sea floor.

The charity’s oceans campaigner Emily Hunter said: ‘‘Krill health supplements are being marketed to Kiwis when we have alternatives which don’t involve taking away the food sources of whales, penguins and other animals.

‘‘Retailers shouldn’t be buying Antarctic krill from pristine ecosystems.’’