NOAA bans krill fishing

The ban on krill fishing covers federal waters located off the US west coast. (Photo: NOAA/FIS)

NOAA bans krill fishing

UNITED STATES
Wednesday, July 15, 2009, 23:50 (GMT + 9)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) published a final rule in the Federal Register on 13 July that will prohibit the harvesting of krill in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off California, Oregon and Washington coasts starting on 12 August.

“Krill are the foundation for a healthy marine ecosystem,” said Mark Helvey, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Southwest Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries. “Protecting this vital food resource will help protect and maintain marine resources and put federal regulations in line with West-Coast states.”

These harvests have been used as part of farmed salmon feed, home aquariums and as a dietary supplement for human consumption. But scientists have noted that catching krill wreaks havoc on the food web and causes sea birds and other marine life to starve, The Associated Press reports.

The final rule is meant to preserve crucial food chains in the California Current ecosystem, which comprises five national marine sanctuaries (NMS). It will also help protect some animals listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act who depend on krill for food.

"Krill is a critical prey for a huge number of vertebrate species there," such as whales, salmon and rockfish, said William Douros, West Coast Regional Director for NMS.

California, Oregon and Washington already had regulations that ban the harvesting of krill within three miles off their coastlines. However, no similar federal ban was being imposed between the three to 200-mile confines of the EEZ until now.

The krill harvest prohibition was adopted as Amendment 12 to the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan (FMP), itself developed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

"This is a great success for protecting the entire California Current ecosystem," Douros said. "This decision reflects strong teamwork within NOAA and a commitment to addressing the issues raised by the Pacific Fishery Management Council and Sanctuary Advisory Councils."

Amendment 12 adds all krill species to the new category of “prohibited harvest species.” All species within this group located in the EEZ may not be caught or taken by any fishery or gear type.

Environmentalist groups have lauded the decision for taking into account the ecosystem as a whole instead of ineffectually dividing it into species.

"It's proactive and precautionary taking action now before there is a crisis, rather than waiting for a big problem to occur and then having to deal with it," said Oceana spokesman Ben Enticknap.

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By Natalia Real
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

Photo Courtesy of FIS Member  NOAA/NMFSborrar