Antarctic krill oil sustainability: Is there enough to meet growing demand?
Most of the krill being harvested for its oil (Euphausia superba) swarm in the waters of the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica (although these are not the only source for the coveted ingredients in the oil (phospholipid-bonded omega-3s, astaxanthin and choline, for instance).
Krill feed on the summer blooms of algae that grow on and in the Antarctic ice.
Because Antarctic krill are so important to so many other species, in 1982 United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Chile, European Community, Germany and Japan formed a treaty organization to ensure that krill were being harvested sustainably. Named the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR-pronounced camel-lahr), it now manages the fin fish (mostly toothfish) and krill fisheries in the Southern Ocean. Scientists from many of the CCAMLR member nations conduct research in the Southern Ocean and make recommendations to CCAMLR that enable the organization to make management decisions. Currently there are 25 Members of CCAMLR, 24 member states and the European Community.
Today, because of CCAMLR, the Antarctic krill fishery has numerous controls in place, and scientists have taken a “precautionary” approach, determining the allowable tonnage and the specific areas where krill can be harvested without irreversible effects on the ecosystem.
2012 Krill Quota Update
Total 2011/2012 quota for krill harvest in the oceans around Antarctica has been set at 5.61 million tons, which is the same as in 2010. The quota is well within the bounds of precautionary limits, according to CCAMLR, the international convention for the protection of krill and other marine life in the Antarctic oceans.
Norway accounts for more than 50% of the krill harvest. The krill catch of the three Norwegian vessels is around 103,000 tons according to the preliminary 2010/2011 capture reports.
However, there is still a way to go to ensure that controls that apply to the krill fishery are commensurate with those that apply to the CCAMLR fin-fish fisheries. The actual krill catch is far below the total allowable catch, but some scientists say that the most significant issue for krill populations is concentration of the catch in one area, which can have significant impacts on the ecosystem. In recognition of impacts on related and dependent species, CCAMLR has introduced ‘trigger levels’ and, most recently, subdivision of the trigger level to allow some spatial distribution of the krill catch.
According to Nina Jensen conservation director of the World Wildlife Fund (in an interview with NutraIngredients' Shane Starling), the krill fishery is "the world's largest underexploited fishery," and from what we know now, is highly sustainable. She notes that the total biomass of krill is estimated to be between between 50-500 million tonnes. The most current estimate is 133 million tonnes, and the current fishery is taking only around 200,000 tonnes of that. This amounts to only about 0.02 percent of the total biomass estimate.
Jensen says, "There are quite a few dramatic stories circulating around that aren't really describing an accurate picture" of the fishery.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this krill oil forum is a public service of WellWise.org, and should not in any way substitute for the advice of a qualified healthcare professional and is not intended to constitute personal medical advice.
Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 04/14/2011 - 21:19.
I have read the above comments and am relatively new to this subject. And as I am new I have a few questions:
1. Scientists say commonly use the word sustainable. In the case of Gray Whales, 15,000 is considered sustainable and possibly harvestable, according to Japan and the U.S. The fact is, over several hundred thousand used to exist and now the numbers of Grays are sustainable.
Do we really know what we are talking about?
2. With the increase in marketing and promotion around the world, krill oil has become a buzz word for health. And to the degree that many more krill are consumed/converted into oil for humans. It doesn't seem that there is a real concerted effort to farm krill on an international level and as a result, they are being harvested using the sustainability word, while species that depend on krill for their own survival.
You asked the question whether man has the right to harvest krill/catch fish, etc. Man pretty much does as he pleases. From articles in papers and press releases from Japan, they buy off officials to harvest far beyond their "sustainable need". And it is not just Japan. The result is that fishing countries are now going to farther away oceans and stripping the oceans of natural resources.
So where is the balance?
3. I come back to my original question. How much oil does one krill make. What is done with the waste? I know from other reports that Iceland complains about dwindling krill populations and justify killing whales because whales are in direct competition with krill. What do we do to rebuild the environment?
Current whale studies in the past three months have discovered that whale feces is a nitrogen rich nutrient which feeds plankton. Krill eat plankton. The papers suggest that there is a date coincidence with the killing of whales in large numbers which have directly affected the bottom of the food chain.
It's not just temperature it seems.
4. Prior to the early 1900's men's diets were healthier. Then we started pushing pills for health, pills and chemicals to grow food faster and make men stronger. Coincidentally, heart disease increased dramatically and so did cancer. Drug companies created and injected chemicals into animals and then once man is sick, creates chemicals/drugs to counteract the effects of all the drugs.
So now we produce vitamins and oils to counteract all of this. And krill oil is now a solution to a situation we have created. What about the rest of the planet?
Submitted by Guest User on Tue, 10/19/2010 - 23:20.
i'm getting more perturbed by the day. We, sorr,y the big guys spend millions on trying to secretly convert us to GMO...I won't even dare approach the health factor, then we are seemingly not eating healthy foods grown in pesticide and chemical laden soils....then we deplete and abuse the fish oil stocks and now here we go on Krill which sustain species other than us....but then who cares anyway???? I read it as another marketing frenzy......put it into Sportsdrinks too? Wow, we really are sick aren't we. Another display of irreverance.
Submitted by James Townsend on Wed, 10/20/2010 - 15:33.
I understand your emotion about this, and I think you would do well to look rationally at the evidence. As the articles on krill oil sustainability at WellWise.org point out, this is a carefully managed fishery, much more so than the one for other species of fish. Very good scientists have studied this and believe that CCAMLR is doing a good job of protecting the sustainability of krill. Also, most species on this planet support other species ... all of them support humans.
Submitted by Guest User on Fri, 06/18/2010 - 12:49.
Joe,
The whole management system in the Antarctic was put into place back in 1982 precisely because everyone realized that we had to be careful about overfishing krill. The precautionary limits set on krill harvesting are way below what the scientists have determined to be safe limits, and they're not even catching up to the precautionary limit! Plus there are observers on the ships making sure the limits are not surpassed.
Hard to see how much more careful we can be.
I'm curious. Do you have any info the scientists don't have that contradicts this view? Do you think that all harvesting of krill is bad, or can we take some of them for human consumption? Are we right to take fish from the ocean for our nourishment, or animals from the forest or farms?
Submitted by Guest User on Mon, 06/14/2010 - 14:49.
I am not concerned about the sustainability of krill oil for the next 200 years, it is totally under control and we should be way more worried about destroying our oceans with oil than taking krill out of the ocean. There are only 9 krill fishing vessels in all of the oceans. Let's get real!
Submitted by Guest User on Mon, 06/14/2010 - 17:59.
I disagree. We should be careful with these krill resources and not overfish them like what's happening with the fish oil industry. I read somewhre that they will soon run out of fish oil and thgat krill is a good alternative. What do you think?
Submitted by James Townsend on Fri, 05/27/2011 - 12:40.
Fish oil industry folks know that as demand increases, it will put pressure on the current fish stocks from which fish oil is being obtained, and that they will have to range farther out to sea to find replacement stock, a more expensive endeavor. Therefore, it is possible that the prices will rise on fish oil, bringing them more into line with the price of obtaining krill oil. That's when krill could become an alternative.
It is all a matter of scientists trying to determine how much can be harvested from any source and have that species remain sustainable.
Submitted by Assistant Site ... on Mon, 09/05/2011 - 02:45.
Read more discussion about krill oil sustainability, especially about the Whole Foods controversy to pull krill oil supplements, while leaving farm raised salmon untouched (98% of the harvested krill goes to salmon farms).
Comments
#1 How much oil does a single krill contain?
I have read the above comments and am relatively new to this subject. And as I am new I have a few questions:
1. Scientists say commonly use the word sustainable. In the case of Gray Whales, 15,000 is considered sustainable and possibly harvestable, according to Japan and the U.S. The fact is, over several hundred thousand used to exist and now the numbers of Grays are sustainable.
Do we really know what we are talking about?
2. With the increase in marketing and promotion around the world, krill oil has become a buzz word for health. And to the degree that many more krill are consumed/converted into oil for humans. It doesn't seem that there is a real concerted effort to farm krill on an international level and as a result, they are being harvested using the sustainability word, while species that depend on krill for their own survival.
You asked the question whether man has the right to harvest krill/catch fish, etc. Man pretty much does as he pleases. From articles in papers and press releases from Japan, they buy off officials to harvest far beyond their "sustainable need". And it is not just Japan. The result is that fishing countries are now going to farther away oceans and stripping the oceans of natural resources.
So where is the balance?
3. I come back to my original question. How much oil does one krill make. What is done with the waste? I know from other reports that Iceland complains about dwindling krill populations and justify killing whales because whales are in direct competition with krill. What do we do to rebuild the environment?
Current whale studies in the past three months have discovered that whale feces is a nitrogen rich nutrient which feeds plankton. Krill eat plankton. The papers suggest that there is a date coincidence with the killing of whales in large numbers which have directly affected the bottom of the food chain.
It's not just temperature it seems.
4. Prior to the early 1900's men's diets were healthier. Then we started pushing pills for health, pills and chemicals to grow food faster and make men stronger. Coincidentally, heart disease increased dramatically and so did cancer. Drug companies created and injected chemicals into animals and then once man is sick, creates chemicals/drugs to counteract the effects of all the drugs.
So now we produce vitamins and oils to counteract all of this. And krill oil is now a solution to a situation we have created. What about the rest of the planet?
#2 krill oil sustainability
i'm getting more perturbed by the day. We, sorr,y the big guys spend millions on trying to secretly convert us to GMO...I won't even dare approach the health factor, then we are seemingly not eating healthy foods grown in pesticide and chemical laden soils....then we deplete and abuse the fish oil stocks and now here we go on Krill which sustain species other than us....but then who cares anyway???? I read it as another marketing frenzy......put it into Sportsdrinks too? Wow, we really are sick aren't we. Another display of irreverance.
#3 Please read these articles ...
I understand your emotion about this, and I think you would do well to look rationally at the evidence. As the articles on krill oil sustainability at WellWise.org point out, this is a carefully managed fishery, much more so than the one for other species of fish. Very good scientists have studied this and believe that CCAMLR is doing a good job of protecting the sustainability of krill. Also, most species on this planet support other species ... all of them support humans.
#4 What does 'careful' mean to you?
Joe,
The whole management system in the Antarctic was put into place back in 1982 precisely because everyone realized that we had to be careful about overfishing krill. The precautionary limits set on krill harvesting are way below what the scientists have determined to be safe limits, and they're not even catching up to the precautionary limit! Plus there are observers on the ships making sure the limits are not surpassed.
Hard to see how much more careful we can be.
I'm curious. Do you have any info the scientists don't have that contradicts this view? Do you think that all harvesting of krill is bad, or can we take some of them for human consumption? Are we right to take fish from the ocean for our nourishment, or animals from the forest or farms?
RK
#5 Krill Oil Sustainability
I am not concerned about the sustainability of krill oil for the next 200 years, it is totally under control and we should be way more worried about destroying our oceans with oil than taking krill out of the ocean. There are only 9 krill fishing vessels in all of the oceans. Let's get real!
Michael
#6 Krill oil sustainability
I disagree. We should be careful with these krill resources and not overfish them like what's happening with the fish oil industry. I read somewhre that they will soon run out of fish oil and thgat krill is a good alternative. What do you think?
Joe
#7 Fish sustainability
Fish oil industry folks know that as demand increases, it will put pressure on the current fish stocks from which fish oil is being obtained, and that they will have to range farther out to sea to find replacement stock, a more expensive endeavor. Therefore, it is possible that the prices will rise on fish oil, bringing them more into line with the price of obtaining krill oil. That's when krill could become an alternative.
It is all a matter of scientists trying to determine how much can be harvested from any source and have that species remain sustainable.
#8 MORE COMMENTS
Read more discussion about krill oil sustainability, especially about the Whole Foods controversy to pull krill oil supplements, while leaving farm raised salmon untouched (98% of the harvested krill goes to salmon farms).
Follow this link to Whole Foods Krill Oil Sustainability Discusssion.
Leave additional sustainability comments on the Whole Foods page.