Antarctic Conservation Body, CCAMLR, Establishes Protected Areas in the Southern Ocean

The Norwegian Ministry of Fishery and Costal Affairs stated in a press release on 4 November: "CCAMLR has agreed upon a framework for the establishment of marine protected areas in the Antarctic. The agreement also secures the interests of fisheries. Norway is a leading fisheries nation in the Antarctic." The release went on to quote Karsten Klepsvik from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Norway‘s representative to CCAMLR, "This important step represents a milestone and lays an excellent foundation for a continued balance between the protection and sustainable harvest of the Southern Ocean."

Aker BioMarine supports the efforts done in the CCAMLR- XXX (2011) meeting. "The establishment of protected areas in the Southern Ocean will benefit all players in the krill fishery," said Sigve Nordrum, Senior Vice President and Sustainability Director for Aker BioMarine Antarctic. The Norwegian fisheries have long supported CCAMLR‘s work. Nordrum continued, "Since the company‘s inception Aker BioMarine Antarctic has worked with CCAMLR as well as conservation organizations including WWF-Norway to maintain a sustainable krill fishery and actively supports scientific research needed for CCAMLR‘s management of Antarctic krill. Aker BioMarine Antarctic has aided CCAMLR in the gathering of scientific data, allowing scientists and observers on board its vessel, the Saga Sea, in order to facilitate reseach and monitor the harvesting operation."

For the past thirty years, CCAMLR‘s agenda is to conserve marine life in the Southern Ocean, allowing for reasonable harvesting in the region within established precautionary catch limits. The current krill harvest is currently just 2.3% of the allowable limit. Dr. Stephen Nicol, a world-renowned scientist and krill expert, spoke at a symposium in Sydney, Australia last week, saying, "The joint efforts of CCAMLR management, industry and scientific researchers are working together to ensure that the fishery for krill is one of the world‘s best managed fisheries and that the needs of the ecosystem are accounted for. With a highly precautionary management regime, the fishery has operated for 40 years with no indication that it has had any effect on krill stocks or their predators."

Aker BioMarine Antarctic is the only krill ingredient marketer that is primary in its supply. Aker BioMarine Antarctic‘s proprietary Eco-Harvesting(TM) technology and on-board processing result in the unique composition of Superba(TM) Krill Oil and QRILL ™ meal provide full traceability from sea to shelf. The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has granted MSC Certification to Aker BioMarine Antarctic‘s fisheries, an exclusive distinction. As part of an established commitment to substantiating krill‘s health benefits, Aker BioMarine Antarctic continues to sponsor in vitro, in vivo, and human clinical trials with phospholipid EPA & DHA from krill oil, consistently demonstrating a higher uptake of phospholipid omega-3 fatty acids, improved blood lipid profiles, and increased uptake of DHA in brain tissue compared to other omega-3 fatty acid sources.