PIRATE fishing ships in Antarctic waters are devastating fish and seabird populations, a conference on the Southern Ocean was told last week. And an expected increase in krill fishing could have an even greater effect on the region’s wildlife.
Since the 1980s, fisheries in the Southern Ocean, which surrounds Antarctica, have been managed in a novel way. Scientists can limit catches to levels that leave the ocean’s unique ecosystem in a sustainable state of health, and all fishing boats must be licensed by national governments. However, the vast size and harsh conditions of the Southern Ocean make it hard to…
