Ocean71
Menu

Ecology, Economy

The Antarctic krill new predators

Show on Google Maps

The Antarctic krill is the largest biomass on earth. It is the food basis for most of the animals living on the white continent. For the past five years, new hunters have appeared. A dozen of factory fishing boats travel to the far side of the planet to quietly capture what could become a gold mine.






File summary

  1. A Chinese fishing boat sinks in Antarctica
  2. A tiny crustacean that could change the world
  3. A nature reserve, well almost...
  4. Is krill the future of aquaculture ?
  5. A "sustainable" industry ?

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

  • Hell in the Chagos heaven

    Ecology, Economy, Geopolitics – 5 chapters

    The Chagos archipelago. A name that sounds like the perfect place to spend the holidays. However, aside from the US army and a couple of privileged ones, the area is strictly forbidden. In one of the world well kept secrets, Great-Britain and the United States have conducted a large scale state scandal : 40 years ago, a small population of 2’000 people were simply forced to exile from their native land. To this day, they are still forbidden to return.






  • Fear over Arcachon Bay

    Ecology, Economy – 4 chapters

    Every summer, the oysters’ consumption in Arcachon bay is threatened by the presence of a micro-seaweed, revealed by biological and chemical tests. The oyster farmers accuse theses analysis of not being entirely accurate. The real reason would be a much more dangerous pollution situation, mostly linked to human activities.






  • a recreated ancient wreck near Marseille © Francis Le Guen

    Underwater archeology: a dive amid cops and robbers

    Culture – 4 chapters

    According to UNESCO, there are around 3 million shipwrecks that sleep peacefully at the bottom of our seas and oceans. With the second largest marine area in the world, France has decided to go to war against the plunder of the remaining wrecks. But is it even possible? For almost a year, OCEAN71 Magazine led a lengthy investigation that took us at the heart of the French authorities and the ocean looters.