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Nicol, S.; Endo, Y. There are currently at least six commercial fisheries
harvesting six different species of euphausiids, or krill. Most of these
fisheries have been operating for over 20 years but there is very little
generally available information on these fisheries other than that for Antarctic
krill. In this report we summarize information from a number of sources on the
fisheries for, and relevant biology of, Antarctic krill (Euphausia
superba), North Pacific krill (Euphausia pacifica) - which is fished
off Japan and off western Canada -, Euphausia nana - fished off the coast
of Japan -, Thysanoessa inermis - fished off the coast of Japan and off
the eastern Canada - and Thysanoessa raschii and Meganyctiphanes
norvegica - fished off eastern Canada. Additional information is also
presented for Nyctiphanes australis for which a fishery has been proposed
off southeast Australia. The current world catch of all species of krill is
approximately 160 000 tonnes but few fisheries are being exploited to their
maximum potential. The size of the world krill harvest is currently limited by
lack of demand, although some fisheries are being deliberately managed at low
levels because of concerns over the effects of harvesting krill on other
elements of the marine ecosystem. Krill fisheries currently produce products
mainly for the aquaculture and sport fishing market but considerable effort has
also been put into developing products for human consumption, particularly from
Antarctic krill. It is likely that the use of krill as an aquaculture feed will
increase but this will be accompanied by developments in biotechnological and
pharmaceutical products as well as improved food products. Because of the
central ecological role of krill in many marine ecosystems, the subject of krill
harvesting is a sensitive issue and krill fisheries require careful management.
This requirement has spawned an innovative international management regime in
the Antarctic - the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living
Resources (CCAMLR) - and this has developed procedures for managing the harvest
of Antarctic krill which may be applicable to other fisheries. |
