Environmental organisations are raising global concern over the future of the Southern Ocean after conservation groups formally objected to the sustainability certification of the Antarctic krill fishery.
The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) has submitted an official objection to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) following its decision to re-certify Antarctic krill fishing as sustainable, despite mounting environmental pressures linked to climate change and industrial fishing expansion.
The objection triggers an independent adjudication process that could lead to revised certification conditions or stricter safeguards for krill stocks and the wider Antarctic ecosystem.
Krill — small shrimp-like crustaceans — form the foundation of the Southern Ocean food web, sustaining whales, penguins, seals, seabirds and fish. Scientists also recognise krill as critical to global climate regulation, as they help transport carbon to deep ocean layers.
Demand for krill has grown rapidly in recent years, largely driven by aquaculture feed production as global wild fish stocks decline. Norwegian company Aker QRILL currently accounts for roughly 60% of the total Antarctic krill harvest, alongside smaller operators from Chile and South Korea operating under MSC certification.
ASOC Executive Director Claire Christian said the objection centres on whether environmental risks have been fully assessed in one of the world’s most climate-sensitive ecosystems.
“Our objection is about ensuring that the environmental impacts of the krill fishery have been accurately assessed,” Christian said. “We do not believe the current certification reflects the realities facing this fragile ecosystem.”
Concerns intensified after the fishery exceeded its quota last year, forcing an early seasonal closure for the first time. Conservationists argue that fishing activity has increasingly concentrated in ecologically sensitive regions along the Antarctic Peninsula — key feeding grounds for whales, seals and penguin populations.
Environmental groups warn that while total catch levels may appear small globally, localised fishing pressure can disrupt predator species that depend heavily on krill availability.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has also lodged an objection, calling for stronger precautionary measures and a reassessment of sustainability claims.
WWF-UK Polar Oceans Programme Manager Rhona Kent said mismanagement risks destabilising one of Earth’s most important marine ecosystems.
“Antarctic krill are the powerhouse of the Southern Ocean,” Kent said. “Protecting this species means protecting the entire ecosystem that depends on it.”
Scientists estimate krill biomass has declined by as much as 70–80% in parts of the Southern Ocean since the 1970s, largely due to warming oceans, declining sea ice and growing human activity.
Conservation organisations argue that sustainability frameworks must evolve alongside rapidly changing environmental conditions, particularly in regions already experiencing accelerated climate impacts.
As the adjudication process unfolds, the debate highlights a broader global challenge: balancing food production demands with the protection of ecosystems that sustain planetary health.
