How surging demand for krill is raising concerns over Antarctica's future

The waters around Antarctica are emerging as a battleground between industry and activists as advanced fishing technology and new demand for krill lead to more fishing of the tiny shrimp-like crustacean that feeds everything from whales to seabirds. The krill catch has soared from 104,728 metric tons in 2007 to 415,508 metric tons in 2022. Every year, krill remove as much as 23 megatons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, or as much greenhouse gas as produced by 5 million cars.

Class discussion: Are the demands of our growing human population crowding out other animal life? Does the growing use of large factory fishing ships threaten the existence of many species of sea life? What could happen to humanity if we continue destroying animal and plant species to make a profit? Do we need to find different ways to feed ourselves to help reduce climate change? How well do we understand how various animals and plants interact to maintain an ecological balance?