Abundant sea ice marked the opening of the 2025/2026 fishing season at the South Orkney Islands, but fishery resumes.

ARK President Pål Skogrand acknowledged the long service of Genevieve Tanner, who is retiring after supporting ARK since 2012

Recent commentary following the CCAMLR 44 annual meeting overlooked an important outcome. Delegates agreed on a structured plan for future work, reaffirming the strength of CCAMLR’s cooperative and science-driven approach. This progress reflects years of collaboration, open dialogue and consistent engagement by all Members, underscoring a shared commitment to advancing a robust management framework for the Antarctic krill fishery.

The Antarctic krill fishery made headlines this season when, for the first time, the annual catch reached 620,000 tonnes, triggering an early closure of the fishery on 1 August. What does this really mean?  

The prize recognizes the crucial role of onboard scientific observers in managing the CCAMLR krill fishery.

ARK is taking a proactive stance by co-funding the project “Baleen whales and fishing for Antarctic krill: the role of fishing gear, operational overlap and mitigation efficacy”.

The 43rd annual meeting of CCAMLR ended in disappointment as delegates failed to agree on a revised krill management approach and the establishment of a new Marine Protected Area (MPA) for the Antarctic Peninsula.

In a pivotal symposium held in Incheon, Korea, CCAMLR members and stakeholders discussed a revised approach to krill management and the establishment of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Antarctic Peninsula. The symposium was co-sponsored by ARK and ASOC.

ARK is surprised at activities currently underway by Sea Shepherd in the Southern Ocean. 

Sea Shepherd has deployed a former toothfish vessel in the waters surrounding the Antarctic Peninsula, on a campaign that purports to be ‘defending the Southern Ocean’s unique ecosystem’. 

In so doing, Sea Shepherd is taking video and drone footage of ARK Member vessels currently legally harvesting krill.  The vessels are licensed, operating in accordance with all CCAMLR Conservation Measures and all have scientific observers on board. 

ARK Voluntary Restricted Zones, a voluntary measure led by krill fishing companies, obtained international recognition at the “100+ Biodiversity Positive practices and Actions around the World”.

In 2018 the krill industry made a commitment to voluntarily close fishing grounds near penguin colonies during the breeding season. As existing measure CM 51-07 for the spatial subdivision of the quota needs to be revised this year, voluntary actions by the industry might become the only operational regulatory mechanism in place to limit commercial exploitation in ecologically sensitive areas.

Current level and subdivision of the krill quota were extended for one season at the recent CCAMLR annual meeting, while the new krill fishery management strategy keeps progressing. Meanwhile, ARK voluntary measures keep protecting penguin colonies at the peak of their breeding season.

Krill fishery operations were far from “normal” during the 2020/21 season. COVID restrictions and low catches at some fishing grounds affected the fleet’s operation. Nonetheless, ARK members continue delivering acoustic data in support of the new krill management framework at all subareas where they operated.