The Antarctic krill new predators

A Chinese fishing boat sinks in Antarctica

On the 21st of April 2013, the Kai Xin, a 104m Chinese fishing boat, ablaze for four days, sank along the Antarctic coast. Blink and you would have missed this news snippet!

The Chinese krill fishing boat the Kai Xin that sunk along the coast of Antarctica © Chilean Air Force

A Norwegian fishing boat rescued the 97 crewmembers and the Chilean authorities told the media that there was no fuel leak and that the situation was under control. No environmental disaster: no international media headlines.

 

But the obvious question was not asked…

 

What was a 100m fishing boat with almost a 100 crew doing in this part of the Antarctic Ocean?

 

The Kai Xin was one of thirteen 100m-factory ships that hail from Chilli, China, South Korea, Norway, Poland and the Ukraine – all attracted by the same high value commodity: the Antarctic krill.

Other files

  • Une mine sous-marine de la seconde guerre mondiale, à proximité de Saranda © Philippe Henry / OCEAN71 Magazine

    Albania : a journey to the unknown

    Culture5 chapters

    Our most recent expedition took us to Albania, a country with uncharted waters that was closed to the outside world for most of the 20th century and which is only just starting to reveal its secrets. The ‘Land of Eagles’ as it is known is allegedly peppered with smugglers and unexploded naval mines, but when we travelled to its shores we found a very different reality.

  • Forbidden ocean in Réunion Island

    Culture, Ecology, Economy8 chapters

    Until 2011, Réunion Island was a small marine paradise. Since then, this French department is locked into a dramatic nightmare: sharks are killing surfers and swimmers along the beaches of the West Coast. This unprecedented situation sparked tensions and controversy between nature conservationists, scientists, surfers, fishermen and beach goers. OCEAN71 investigated on an island in a constant state of aquatic emergency.

  • Soft and hard coral cuttings © Philippe Henry / OCEAN71 Magazine

    The miracle of coral

    Ecology, Economy3 chapters

    A little known and unusual type of farm has popped up in the port of Camaret in Finstere, Brittany. Johan Kergoat and Remi Plouhinec are cultivating coral…