All About Krill

what are krill?

Krill (order Euphausiacea) are small, shrimp-like crustaceans that are found in all the world's oceans. These cosmopolitan animals are are in the same class of animal as crabs, lobsters and crayfish, as well as shrimp and woodlice! About 82 different species of krill have been described to date, and they are known to congregate in dense swarms of more than 10,000 individuals per cubic meters of water!

Antarctic krill is one of the largest species of krill. They can grow up to about 6 centimeters in length and can live for up to 5 years. These small animals feed on phytoplankton, microscopic, single-celled plants that drift near the ocean's surface and live off carbon dioxide and the sun's rays. And while they are very tiny, krill play a huge role for our planet: they are essentially the fuel that runs the Earth's marine ecosystems.

"What do you mean by they are 'essential'?"
Krill are the main prey of animals including penguins, fish, and whales (including the largest known to have ever lived on earth, the blue whale)!

DID YOU KNOW... The 23 million tonnes of carbon cycled and stored by Krill each year is equivalent to the annual residential greenhouse gas emissions of the United Kingdom.

Why does krill matter to antarctica?

Antarctic krill is a keystone species of the Southern Ocean. Part of the reason why we have so much krill in this region is because these waters around Antarctica are rich sources of phytoplankton, which krill eat, and have algae that grows on the underside of sea ice (which krill also likes). Without this animal, many others will starve.

what are the biggest threats?

Climate change is changing Antarctic krill habitat, with the repercussions for the Southern Ocean food web being predicted to be catastrophic. Reductions in sea ice due to a warming climate is bad news for the krill because they depend on the sea ice to breed and for protection.

Antarctic krill are also fished by the Southern Ocean's largest fishery. Recent studies that show Antarctic krill stocks may have dropped by 80% since the 1970s. Krill are now the target of the largest commercial fishery in the Southern Ocean. They are being fished in increasing quantities, especially in waters surrounding the Antarctic Peninsula which sustains 70% of the Antarctic krill population. Not only an issue for the species, industrial krill fishing causes further negative impacts on climate change through the removal of such huge swathes of krill.

The cumulative effects of reducing sea ice and increasing fishing are threatening the entire system and planet. When krill die, our planet dies.

What can be done to protect antarctic krill?

The first step in saving Antarctica is protecting its waters and its source of life—the tiny but critically essential Antarctic krill. Krill are the cornerstone of a healthy ecosystem, and without them, all is lost. Protecting Antarctic krill is crucial for current and future global biodiversity, food security, and planetary processes!

Download information on Antarctic Krill, their threats and sustainability through an MPA: