The timing of the closure is determined by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR).
Photo © John Weller
Aker QRILL Company has announced that its vessels have ceased fishing activities following the conclusion of the 2026 Antarctic krill fishing season last week.
The timing of the closure is determined by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) through the application of a precautionary catch limit. That limit was set at 620,000 tonnes, bringing the season to an end several months earlier than scheduled for the second consecutive year.
Last year the krill fishery in Area 48 closed on August 1, marking the first time in its history that fishing activity had to stop four months before the end of the season.
"This season provides further real-world evidence that the fishery can operate across a wide geographical area, and the closure demonstrates that the system is working. We will use this experience as CCAMLR develops the next generation of krill management," said Webjørn Barstad, CEO of Aker QRILL Company.
By contrast, conservation groups such as Antarctica2030, an international initiative focused on the protection of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, argue that another early closure highlights the growing pressure on the fishery and the "urgent" need to update the current management system.
"This is not simply about reaching a catch limit. It is about whether the international community is managing human activities in one of Earth's last great wildernesses with the level of precaution that science demands," warned José María Figueres, former President of Costa Rica and Chair of Antarctica2030.
At the end of 2024, CCAMLR Conservation Measure 51-07 (Area 48) expired, and no replacement management system was agreed at the Commission's 2025 annual meeting.
In addition, the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) and WWF have lodged formal objections to the Marine Stewardship Council's (MSC) decision to recertify the fishery.
At the next CCAMLR meeting, priorities will include advancing towards a system of marine protected areas covering 30% of the Southern Ocean by 2030, while ensuring that decisions are based on independent scientific evidence and coordinated international management.
Aker QRILL Company has expressed its support for the establishment of the proposed Domain 1 Marine Protected Area, covering approximately 455,000 km² around the Antarctic Peninsula.
The company also supports modernizing the fishery management system to distribute catches across smaller management units and adapt fishing activity according to location and time of year.
Regarding this, Bastard said: "The responsible solution moving forward should be to build this distribution into the management system, rather than relying on annual variations in krill abundance and fleet behaviour."
"This means protecting large and important areas while establishing a science-based management system for areas where fishing can be further developed. These elements need to be considered together if the 27 CCAMLR members are to reach consensus," he concluded.