July 12, 2018 –A host of seafood industry representatives and companies have aligned with conservation groups to support the creation of marine protected areas in the Antarctic, according to a roundtable announcement hosted at the Greenpeace-led Antarctic 360° event in Cambridge, United Kingdom this week.
Aker BioMarine (Norway), Pesca Chile (Chile), Insung (South Korea), Rimfrost (Norway), and China National Fisheries Corporation (China) have all agreed to the instatement of a voluntary krill fishery closure along the Antarctic Peninsula, the World Wildlife Foundation explained in a press release. Additionally, Aker BioMarine, the world’s largest krill fishing company, pledged its support to the creation of marine sanctuaries in Antarctica through the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in coming years.
“Safeguarding the Antarctic ecosystem in which we operate is part of who we are. Our ongoing dialogue with ARK members, scientists and the community of environmental NGOs, including Greenpeace, is what makes additional efforts like this possible. We are positive that ARK’s commitment will help ensure krill as a sustainable and stable source of healthy omega-3s for the future,” Aker BioMarine Executive Vice President Kristine Hartmann said. “Through our commitment we are showing that it is possible for no-fish zones and sustainable fisheries to co-exist. Our intention with this commitment is to support CCAMLR’s work on establishing a network of large-scale science-based marine protected areas in the Antarctic.”