The body responsible for conserving Antarctic marine life has failed to agree on new marine protected areas and taken a substantial step backward on krill fisheries management at its annual meeting in Hobart.

Governments responsible for conserving Antarctic marine life have failed to deliver increased protection at a meeting in Hobart despite the threats of record low sea ice and the first cases of bird flu reaching Antarctica.

Antarctic sea ice provides refuge for a range of species, from tiny crustaceans like Antarctic krill to the largest penguin species – the emperor penguin, who rely on sea ice habitats for their survival. As the Antarctic environment experiences rapid environmental change, many Antarctic species are feeling the heat.

You may not realize but an unlikely hero resides in the Southern Ocean, Antarctic krill. These tiny crustaceans, no larger than a paperclip, are critical to the Southern Ocean food web and feed a wide variety of species, including baleen whales, penguins, seals and many other marine wildlife, who depend on them to survive.

WWF Report: Antarctic krill provide carbon storage services worth US$15.2 billion