Scientists 'met' to discuss the past and future of krill

Over 100 experts on krill biology, krill predators, Southern Ocean oceanography, conservation, the industry and krill management gathered online to discuss the past, present and future of the krill-based ecosystem. The workshop, organized by SKAG and supported by WWF, met virtually from 26 to 30 April 2021, to discuss a hot topic: Has krill abundance decreased or remained stable during the past century?

Antarctic krill is a key species in the Southern Ocean, characterized by a wasp-waist trophic web structure due to its significant role as predator and prey of lower and higher trophic levels, respectively.

However, scientists have not agreed on whether krill populations have declined or remained stable over the past century. However, one thing seems sure: ongoing climate change is likely to have a negative impact on krill populations.

The krill research community also analyzed how rapid changes in technology and the relative shortage of vessel-time for studying krill would influence the way scientists continue monitoring the krill-based ecosystem.

The workshop also focused on understanding knowledge gaps for advising CCAMLR on the management of the krill fishery. Key findings were the need for scientists to work closely with managers and collaborate with the industry to collect relevant information. The fishing fleet was recognized as a viable platform for collecting necessary data for management. However, it will require a joint effort (and ingenuity) to standardize equipment and protocols across vessels. The essential data identified for the fishing fleet to collect were: krill acoustics over pre-determined transects, environmental data, and information on krill length, sex and maturity stage from catch samples.

The report from the workshop could be downloaded here.