Local politics, the county, and the world, as viewed by Tammy Maygra

Tammy’s views are her own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bill Eagle, his pastor, Tammy’s neighbors, Wayne Mayo, Brian Stout, Former President Trump, Henry Heimuller, Joe Biden, Jerry Falwell Jr., Mike Johnson, Ted Cruz, Joe Biden’s dogs, or Claudia Eagle’s Cats. This Tammy’s Take (with the exception of this disclaimer) is not paid for or written by, or even reviewed by anyone but Tammy and she refuses to be bullied by anyone. See Bill’s Standard Disclaimer

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Krill… the Keystone species of the seas of Antarctica. Being wiped out by greedy corporations.

 

Krill. Over harvesting a Keystone Species

 

Krill - tiny pink shrimp-like crustaceans that live deep in the ocean - are being harvested at an alarming rate by Aker BioMarine, a biotechnology company, to be sold as fish farm feed, pet food and dietary supplements.

The new report says that Aker BioMarine (together with other krill harvesting companies) are destroying a resource of critical importance to Antarctica’s food chain. The krill provide over 96 percent of the calories consumed by seabirds and marine mammals. They are also one of the world’s largest carbon sinks because they remove up to 23 million tons of carbon from the Earth’s atmosphere per year, by eating carbon-rich algae near the surface and excreting it when they sink to lower, colder waters, helping to mitigate climate change. Removing 23 million metric tons of carbon each year within the Southern Ocean, the amount of carbon produced by about 35 million gas-powered cars.

Aker BioMarine, which is based in Oslo, Norway, catches about 70 percent of all krill sold globally. It does this with the help of three industrial super trawlers that vacuum up tons of krill at the bottom of the ocean every day. The other major companies are  include China National Fisheries Corporation, Dongwon, Fujian Zhengguan Fishery Development, Jeongil, Jiangsu Sunline Deep Sea Fishery Company and Pesca Chile.)

Aker BioMarine is a subsidiary of Aker ASA which was founded by billionaire Kjell Inge Røkke, Norway’s richest man in 2021. A high-school dropout who began his career working as a fisherman, Røkke made his fortune from ocean-related ventures including significant investments in drilling for fossil fuels. the Bob Brown Foundation together with NGOs like Changing Markets have called for a complete moratorium on krill fishing in Antarctica, and eventually a complete ban.

The amount of krill being taken is effecting the ability of other species to have enough food, Sea Shepard will be mounting a campaign against the krill harvesters. Sea Shepard has successfully stopped whale harvesting in the Antarctica. And plan to do the same for krill.  The krill harvesters have accidently killed whales in their nets along with other species.

Antarctic krill is a ‘keystone’ species in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica, representing an essential role in sustaining the region's delicate ecosystem. This free-swimming, protein-rich crustacean is a vital part of the food chain, nurturing diverse life forms including birds, fish, penguins and marine mammals. Beyond this, krill plays an important role in the biogeochemical cycle of the Southern Ocean.

krill populations have actually declined by 80% since the 1970s. Baleen whales -- such as the giant blue whales, fin whales, sei whales, minke whales, and humpback whales -- consume between 34 million and 43 million tons of krill per year in the Southern Ocean.

All penguin species feed on krill, but it’s an important part of the diet of emperor, gentoo, bridled, chinstrap, Adélie, macaroni, and rockhopper penguins, each consuming an average of one kilo per day. The chinstrap penguins in the South Sandwich Islands eat 4000 tons of krill per day, and the Adélie penguins in the South Orkney Islands eat 9000 tons of krill and fish larvae each season while raising their chicks.

Antarctic fur seals, Ross seals, leopard seals, and especially crabeater seals, who consume 50 to 150 million tons of krill per year alone. Antarctic fur seals, Ross seals, leopard seals, and especially crabeater seals, who consume 50 to 150 million tons of krill per year also Several species of Albatross, petrels, prions and other marine birds, some species of squid and fish, including icefish depend on krill.

A report this January by Global Industry Analysts, the $531-million market for krill oil is projected to rise to $941 million by 2026. Fish farming (which uses krill as feed), is the world's fastest growing food sector, as global demand for fish is expected to double by 2050 plus Omega 3 consumption by humans is on the rise too.

We need to limit the harvesting of all fisheries, we are taking more from the oceans than the ocean can supply.

 

Tammy

 

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