#121 Fighting Krill Fishing with Dr Lucia Morillo and Sea Shepherd

In Antarctica, Lucia Morillo has witnessed another form of exploitation: the industrial harvesting of krill. Once thought to be limitless, krill are now targeted for luxury products such as omega-3 supplements and additives for salmon farms. While the fishery is technically legal, its regulation under the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) is deeply flawed. With 27 member nations required to reach unanimous agreement on quotas, even a single objection—often from powerful countries like Russia or China—can stall or dismantle vital protections.Krill are far more than prey. They act as a biological carbon pump, consuming microscopic algae that absorb carbon dioxide and carrying that carbon into the deep ocean when they die. In doing so, they help regulate the planet’s climate. Yet humans continue to harvest them for nonessential products. Lucia and her colleagues argue that this practice is both wasteful and unnecessary, as plant-based sources of omega-3s already exist.More Informationhttps://www.seashepherdglobal.org/If you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts.Leave us a comment and share this show with your friends.It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you.Contact the ShowWe are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events.You can email us at: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.