For the third consecutive year, Sea Shepherd has returned to Antarctica. This time arriving later in the season, staying longer, and operating deeper into krill fishing territory than ever before. With tourism and research vessels having mostly left the area for the season due to the rapidly deteriorating weather and dangerous ice conditions that signal the coming of winter, industrial fishing continues largely unchecked. Sea Shepherd is here to make sure that the damage being done to these waters doesn’t go unchallenged.

What we’ve witnessed in just the first days, has been both awe-inspiring and deeply concerning.

“On Tuesday we woke up to a feeding frenzy. Over 500 massive fin whales surrounding the Allankay, all feeding on krill,” said Captain Alex Cornelissen from on board the Sea Shepherd vessel Allankay. “None of us on board had ever seen anything like it, not even the returning crew from last year. And still, trawlers were there, fishing right in the middle of it.”

The presence of super trawlers in these feeding grounds isn’t just disruptive—it’s dangerous. Last season, at least three whales were reported caught in krill nets. Those are only the cases that made it into official reports, and the real number may be higher.

That’s why, this year, Sea Shepherd has brought scientists on board the Allankay. Their role is not only to document the presence of marine wildlife, but to gather concrete evidence that can be used to hold the Commission fo the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)—the international body responsible for managing these waters—accountable for its continued  failure to promote the precautionary principle that guided its founding. The data collection  includes recording how often krill super trawlers operate in the same areas where whales are feeding, how close vessels encroach upon wildlife, and how this affects their behavior. These are not abstract concerns. Entanglement, competition for food, and displacement from feeding grounds are real and immediate threats. The ultimate goal is to use this data to increase pressure on CCAMLR to break the impasse that exists around the creation of marine protected areas, an initiative that enjoys the support of the majority of its member states.

Back on board, the contrast is hard to ignore. One moment, the crew watches a southern right whale playfully swimming past. Next, they’re filming a krill super trawler towing a net straight through a cluster of feeding fin whales.

This isn’t a rare incident—it’s a strategy. Krill trawlers often steer directly toward whales, using their presence to locate dense swarms of krill. The whales know where the food is. And the fishing industry follows.

“We meticulously navigated our small boat to keep the safe distance between us and the wildlife,” said Cornelissen. “Only to see the krill vessels drag their net through the middle of all this activity.”

One Ukrainian vessel was caught on camera doing just that. So was a Norwegian company, responsible for more than half of all krill extracted from Antarctica.

What’s happening in Antarctica is driven by decisions made thousands of kilometers away, in corporate boardrooms about supply chains, and by consumers regarding what is stocked on store shelves.

Krill isn’t being fished to feed people. It’s turned into pet food, fish feed for salmon farms, and omega-3 supplements, despite the availability of plant-based alternatives. The industry may operate at the edge of the world, but the demand is global.

To confront that demand, Sea Shepherd has launched SaveKrill.com, a resource that enables supporters to take action. From anywhere in the world, people can contact retailers that stock krill-based products and call on them to stop supporting this industry.

“Every time someone buys a krill supplement, they’re supporting the destruction of Antarctica,” Cornelissen said. “It has to stop.”

The more voices we raise, the harder it becomes for companies to turn a blind eye. This campaign doesn’t end with what we witness at sea. It continues wherever decisions are made to profit from Antarctic exploitation.

That includes CCAMLR, the body tasked with managing and protecting Antarctic marine life. Despite years of growing scientific evidence and mounting ecological pressure, CCAMLR has so far failed to establish the protections these waters urgently need. Last year, proposals to create new marine protected areas were once again delayed, as consensus slipped further out of reach.

But not all pressure has gone unanswered. In late 2023, a proposal to increase krill catch limits was struck down, thanks in part to the global response sparked by footage from that year’s campaign. It was a rare but powerful reminder: when the world sees what’s happening, it pushes back.

Still, holding the line isn’t enough. If Antarctica’s marine life is to survive, we need more than restraint—we need bold action. The goal isn’t to maintain the status quo. It’s to end industrial krill fishing in these waters entirely.

“I cannot think of an area in the ocean with a higher need for protection than where we are now,” said Cornelissen. “The creation of a marine reserve north of Coronation Island and including the Antarctic Peninsula should be a top priority.”

The science is here. The evidence is growing. The consequences are unfolding in real time. What’s missing is the political will to act.

Sea Shepherd will keep documenting and confronting the destruction taking place in Antarctica - and with your support, we can do even more. While CCAMLR stalls and companies profit from Antarctic exploitation, and while we apply pressure at sea, you can do the same online. Help turn global outrage into real protection for this vital ecosystem.
► Visit SaveKrill.com to take action, and help turn global outrage into real protection for this vital ecosystem.
► Support our work by becoming an Ocean Warrior, keeping us on the frontlines every month.

This is just the first of many updates from the campaign. Stay tuned as we continue to report from the Southern Ocean in the weeks ahead.

This campaign is a joint mission between Sea Shepherd Global and Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (USA), standing together to protect the delicate balance of life in the last great wilderness on Earth—Antarctica.