The New York Times published an article on Tuesday, March 13, 2012, quoting Matts Johnasen, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Aker BioMarine Antarctic AS on the subject of krill sustainability. The fair and balanced article by Susan Moran covered the recent history of the krill fishery and featured researchers studying krill near Palmer Station, the US research facility off the western Antarctic Peninsula.
 
The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) carefully regulates the krill fishery in the Southern Ocean and has set catch limits which are well above the current harvesting levels. It is generally agreed by experts in the field that the krill fishery today is well managed and sustainable. Continual monitoring of the fishery and the health of the stock is still considered essential.
 
According to the Times article, “Some scientists say the Antarctic krill fishery is the world’s most underexploited marine resource.” The article went on to quote Deborah K. Steinberg, a biological oceanographer at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science in Gloucester Point: “I’m not worried at current levels of the fishing effort. But I do worry about the future if the industry really starts to take off. We have to keep a close eye on it.”
 
Aker BioMarine’s Matts Johansen was also quoted in the article, stating that krill is indeed one of the most sustainable fisheries today. He’s spoken extensively on this subject with the media and elaborates on his Times’ quote by adding, “WWF -Norway and Aker BioMarine are working together for a sustainable management of the krill resource in the Sothern ocean. The outcome of the cooperation has been several scientific reports that are being submitted to CCAMLR, that manages the fishery in these waters.”