China and the race to fish a tiny animal with a vast climate role
Conservationists worry krill catches will devastate Antarctic ecosystems, while advocates see a vital protein source The post China and the race to fish a tiny animal with a vast climate role appeared first on Dialogue Earth .
In March of the previous year, the Fu Yuan Yu 9199 embarked on its maiden voyage from Fujian, a province in southeast China. This colossal ship, manned by 85 crew members, traversed the Indian Ocean and the South Atlantic for over three weeks before arriving on the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. There, its primary objective was to hunt krill, a small crustacean known for its voracious appetite and significant role in the marine food chain.
Despite its size, the krill's resilient nature allows it to endure, often hiding under sea ice for protection. However, the technological prowess of vessels like the Fu Yuan Yu 9199 poses a significant threat to these tiny creatures. Equipped with suction pumps capable of scooping up 1,000 tonnes of krill per day, this modern fishing vessel targets penguins and whales alongside its prey.
Currently, China operates six Antarctic krill vessels, with the Fu Yuan Yu 9199 being the largest and newest among them. This trend is set to continue, as other Chinese vessels such as the Yongli and Lianjiang county government-approved ship, Fu Yuan Yu 9666, are expected to join the Southern Ocean fishing expeditions in the coming year.
The expansion of China's krill fishing industry is not limited to its coastal regions; a new krill-processing industrial park in Fu Yuan Yu 9199's home county of Lianjiang is expected to be completed the following year. This facility will be capable of processing 150,000 tonnes of krill annually, catering to a variety of products including krill oil, dried krill, fish feed, and pet food.
The growth of China's krill fishing industry extends beyond its coastal boundaries; a new krill processing facility is also under construction in the northeastern province of Liaoning. Additionally, similar industrial parks are being established in Shandong and Jiangsu provinces. For now, the role of Antarctic krill in China's food sector is limited.
Most of the krill caught by China's fleet ends up as krill meal, a fine powder used primarily as a feed supplement in aquaculture and pig farming industries. A marine food processing researcher working in a Chinese university estimates that Chinese vessels produce around 25,000 tonnes of krill meal annually, a sum negligible compared to China's annual fishmeal demand of two million tonnes.
The researcher emphasizes that China views krill as a strategic resource given its nation's population of 1.4 billion. While China's fishing industry primarily focuses on producing fishmeal from krill, there is also a growing interest in developing krill oil for health supplement products.
Written by urgent.news from Dialogue Earth's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
