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Antarctic krill: Our little pals in a big fight

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Date published: 4/7/2007

WASHINGTON--Lately, Antarctica has drawn some much overdue attention.

More than 60 nations launched the International Polar Year, scientists announced the discovery of several fast-flowing rivers underneath glacial ice, and the penguins of "Happy Feet"--in a cautionary tale about overfishing the Southern Ocean--danced their way to an Oscar for best animated picture.

The International Polar Year is an ambitious international project comprising hundreds of research programs focused on the Antarctic and the Arctic. Thousands of scientists will spend the next two years studying the biological and physical wonders of both poles.

Such an undertaking, last conducted in 1957, should serve to highlight the urgency for polar conservation. It arrives not a moment too soon, as signs indicate that penguins, whales, and other Antarctic wildlife face an uncertain future due to climate change and irresponsible fishing.

The oceans of the Antarctic may be frigid, but they teem with life. Besides iconic species like penguins and whales, a small shrimp-like creature known as Antarctic krill also thrives in these nutrient-rich waters. Krill are small in stature but constitute one of the largest biomasses on Earth and the heart of the Antarctic food web.

Recent research also has found that Antarctic krill are an ally in the fight against global warming. Feeding on phytoplankton near the ocean surface by day and releasing their waste by night--including carbon dioxide from the atmosphere--deep below the surface, they remove the equivalent carbon-dioxide emissions of 35 million cars annually. Sadly, though, the invaluable role these animals play in supporting the Antarctic food web and mitigating carbon emissions is now at risk.

During the last three decades, Antarctica has seen fewer and fewer months of winter sea-ice coverage. This poses devastating consequences for krill, as their key spawning and foraging areas are located beside and under pack ice. Linkages between global warming and krill need to be much more scrutinized.

To make matters worse, krill have become an increasingly appealing target to international fishing fleets. Marine aquaculture is a rapidly growing industry, as is Antarctic krill for aquaculture feed. They also are prized for their high-value oils, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, popular in the United States and Europe as nutritional supplements.

Also, new technology makes it easier than ever to catch krill. Indeed, a single vessel can now catch more krill in one fishing season than the entire fleet caught last year.

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Date published: 4/7/2007