the 2025 annual meeting of the commission for the conservation of antarctic marine living resources (ccamlr) was held in hobart, australia, from 20 to 31 october 2025. no consensus was reached this year regarding the establishment of new marine protected areas(mpas) or regulations governing the fishery for krill. at the meeting, proposals to create new mpas were vetoed by both china and russia.

ecological significance and governance challenges of antarctic krill

krill are small, shrimp-like marine crustaceans distributed throughout the world’s oceans, with the highest concentration in the southern ocean near antarctica. they constitute a keystone species in the antarctic food web, supporting major predators such as whales, seals and penguins. besides, they play a crucial role in carbon sequestration by consuming carbon-rich algae at the surface and releasing it into the deep ocean via fecal pellets. they are also increasingly harvested as feed for aquaculture and for use in dietary supplements.

however, antarctic krill are primarily threatened by rapid climate change, specifically ocean warming and sea ice loss. reduced sea ice reduces the nursery habitats where larval krill feed and seek shelter during winter, while rising temperatures directly inhibit their growth and reproduction. this environmental stress is compounded by increasing commercial fishing. concentrated industrial harvesting may overlap with predator foraging areas, potentially disrupting trophic dynamics and ecosystem stability in the southern ocean.

in terms of krill management and regulation, countries can be broadly divided into two groups. one group advocates for the establishment of new mpas to regulate krill catch limits, while the other focuses on expanding krill fishing. china and russia belong to the latter one. a key reason for china’s veto for southern ocean mpas is a lack of sufficient scientific data. specifically, china has argued that existing antarctic mpas lack comprehensive baseline data and an established scientific indicator system, making negotiations on the mpa proposals challenging. however, the other side argues that waiting for complete scientific certainty risks irreversible ecological damage. 

scientific data supporting antarctic krill management

filling in data gaps is pivotal in conserving ecosystems in antarctic. the existing scientific datasets from ccamlr provide the foundation to monitor fisheries and make decisions on establishing mpas. these datasets are highly multidimensional, incorporating information on biology, ecology, environmental conditions, fisheries activities, and other relevant factors.

first, data on the temporal and spatial distribution of krill are essential for assessing population dynamics and establishing scientifically grounded catch limits. by analyzing krill abundance and distribution patterns, ccamlr can evaluate potential spatial overlaps between fishing activities and predator foraging grounds, which enables sustainable fisheries management. for example,  krillbase compiles long-term survey data on krill density and distribution across the southern ocean, supporting ecosystem-based assessments.

second, information on predator–prey relationships enables a broader ecosystem-level evaluation. the ccamlr ecosystem monitoring program (cemp) is a long-term scientific initiative designed to detect and document changes in species dependent on krill. its objectives include distinguishing between ecosystem changes driven by commercial harvesting and those resulting from environmental variability. 

third, spatially layered datasets enhance predictive and management capacities. the ccamlr data viewer integrates environmental, ecological, and management layers, including sea ice distribution, krill fishery management units, acoustic survey transects, and cemp monitoring sites. these layered spatial tools facilitate scenario analysis and adaptive fisheries management.

finally, detailed haul-by-haul fisheries statistics, compiled in the statlant data, provide standardized records of catch and effort data across the convention area. these data include both target species and by-catch and are aligned with internationally recognized fisheries statistical standards. such reporting mechanisms ensure transparency and comparability in fisheries governance.

however, there are some limits with these datasets. for example, killbase uses net-based sampling, which is known to underestimate absolute abundances due to avoidance behavior of mobile species, escape of small juveniles, and vertical migrations. in addition, some scholars point out that, while these new technologies, such as acoustic methods, moored instrument arrays, instrumented air-breathing predators, provide more frequent, fine-scale data, they no longer capture the broad spatial and temporal coverage represented by historical krillbase data.

this poses a paradox: while modern technologies improve sampling resolution, they make it challenging to maintain large-scale, multi-decadal datasets, which are essential for robust evaluations of pelagic animal populations such as krill and effective ecosystem-based management in a changing climate.

amidst political headwinds, experts call for data-driven action

no dataset can ever be perfectly accurate, given the inherent challenges of observing natural systems and the technological limitations involved in collecting and compiling such data. although ecological datasets in the southern ocean still contain spatial gaps and methodological uncertainties, these limitations cannot justify delaying conservation action. effective conservation and sustainable use should depend on the best available data and uphold the following principles. 

precautionary principle. the precautionary principle is central to antarctic ecosystem management. ccamlr explicitly embeds this principle in its ecosystem‑based management framework, recommending that conservation measures be adopted even under conditions of scientific uncertainty. researcher graeme parkes has argued that catch limits and management measures should be set even when complete scientific certainty is lacking, and delaying action until full certainty is neither necessary nor consistent with ccamlr’s mandate.

integration of diverse data sources and advanced technologies. fisheries information originates from many different sources, and consolidating these datasets while preserving their scientific rigor and accuracy remains a major challenge. the adoption of advanced technologies—when implemented with appropriate ethical safeguards—can enhance data collection, improve spatiotemporal coverage, provide critical insights to a rapidly changing ecosystem, and reduce the risk of introducing new biases or misinterpretations.the scientific committee and its working groups aims compile and analyse data and use advanced technology to provide scientific advice that underpins ccamlr’s ecosystem‑based management decisions.

international collaboration. the entry into force of the agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (bbnj agreement) offers new opportunities for strengthening scientific cooperation and data sharing. bbnj’s emphasis on capacity-building and technology transfer can support developing states participating in ccamlr, enabling more consistent monitoring efforts, enhanced use of new observation technologies, and more equitable scientific participation.

together, these principles provide a framework to address data limitations while safeguarding the southern ocean ecosystem. it is important to recognize that when scientific evidence intersects with political interests, data can often be sidelined. nevertheless, science must retain a central role in guiding decision-making.