Krill
Tiny. Ancient. Invisible to most. And yet — without krill, the entire Antarctic ecosystem collapses. Whales, penguins, seals, and fish all depend on this one small creature. This campaign exists because small things matter enormously.
The Crisis
Antarctic krill fishing crossed a line in 2025. In August of that year, for the first time in the fishery’s history, the entire season had to be shut down early because the total catch limit of 620,000 metric tons was reached. One company, Aker BioMarine (trading as Aker QRILL), has taken 62.6% of everything caught over the last decade, feeding both the omega-3 supplement industry and salmon aquaculture feed. A protection measure that used to spread fishing pressure across the Southern Ocean lapsed in 2024 — so fleets can now concentrate directly on top of whale and penguin feeding grounds instead of spreading out.
Scientists project warming could shrink usable krill habitat by up to 80% by 2100 if current trends hold.
Krill larvae feed on algae beneath sea ice through winter. Less ice means fewer larvae survive to adulthood — a direct, measured link, not a theory.
Massive trawlers harvest krill for omega-3 supplements and aquaculture feed, now fishing without the spatial limits that used to protect feeding grounds.
Whales, penguins, seals and seabirds eat roughly 80 million tons of krill a year — up to 96% of caloric intake for some species. Adult krill populations in surveyed regions are already down 70-80% over the last 40 years.
Proof this works: In 2025, sustained pressure and documentation — Sea Shepherd has run active Antarctic patrols since 2024, filming super trawlers fishing beside feeding whales — led UK retailer Holland & Barrett to announce it will stop selling krill-based products from April 2026, the same move Whole Foods made back in 2010. Individual purchasing pressure has measurably worked before. Choosing algae-based omega-3 instead of krill oil is the real alternative, not just a slogan.
The Human Ecosystem of This Campaign
Like krill, no single role is more important than another. Every contributor plays a vital part in sustaining this campaign’s living web of action and awareness.
Research and share the science of krill ecosystems. Ground this campaign in truth.
Campaign against industrial krill fishing. Turn awareness into policy and pressure.
Make art that makes the invisible visible. Beauty is one of the most powerful forces for change.
Spread the story of krill to the world. Every share extends this campaign’s reach.
Support Antarctic conservation directly. Donate, fund, or volunteer where it counts most.
Connect communities around ocean protection. Shared networks multiply every single effort.
Contributions to This Campaign Already Made
This campaign is already alive — fed by the work of scientists, artists, and advocates who answered the call first. Here is what has been offered so far.
Painting by Cosima
A luminous oil painting capturing the ethereal beauty of a krill swarm in deep Antarctic waters — making the invisible impossible to ignore. 
Video by Gala
A spoken-word video essay tracing the krill crisis from melting sea ice to the whales that will starve if we do nothing.
Krill Wars: Why We Are Sailing South — Prom Coast News, 14 Jan 2026
Gala’s article on industrial krill fishing ran in Prom Coast News on 14 January 2026, written from Port Anthony as the Bandero — a Captain Paul Watson Foundation ship — prepared to sail south.
Gala’s article on industrial krill fishing ran in Prom Coast News on 14 January 2026, written from Port Anthony as the Bandero — a Captain Paul Watson Foundation ship — prepared to sail south.
Campaign Flyer for Distribution
A free, printable flyer from the Shikibuntu Krill campaign. Print this page, cut it into 4 cards, and place them in front of krill oil supplements in pharmacies and health stores. Explains why krill oil isn’t necessary for omega-3s, how industrial krill fishing threatens whales, penguins, and seals in the Antarctic food web, and includes a QR code linking to the full campaign.
Take Action Now
The most powerful thing you can do today is amplify what already exists, and choose algae-based omega-3 over krill oil.
Post the painting on social media and let its beauty speak for krill where words cannot reach.
Watch it, feel it, then share it — every view extends the story further into the world.
Arm yourself with the science and share it with anyone who needs evidence to believe in this crisis.
Take this campaign offline. Print the flyer and bring it into your physical community.
Add Your Contribution
Are you a scientist, artist, writer, or activist who wants to support this campaign? Every contribution strengthens the ecosystem — there’s a place for you in it, whatever your gift.
“Small things, sustained together, become the force that holds the world.”
[Gala/Claude: this button will link to the Contribute-to-a-Campaign form once it’s built — placeholder for now]
Author: Gala Dichiara
I’m Gala, a biologist, artist, writer, conservation communicator, adventurer, and lifelong learner. I’m passionate about far too many things (and always adding more): from diving, wildlife, and storytelling to music, extreme sports, and building communities. But above all, animals are where my heart feels most at home. Through Shikibuntu, I’m creating a global community that reconnects people with nature and with each other, because I believe every act of care can ripple into meaningful change.