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MIAMI (AP) — Trawling near Antarctica for krill — a crustacean central to the diet of whales and a critical buffer to global warming — has surged to a record and is fast approaching a never before reached seasonal catch limit that would trigger the unprecedented early closure of the remote fishery, The Associated Press has learned.The fishing boom follows the failure last year of the U.S., Russia, China and two dozen other governments to approve a new management plan that would have mandated spreading out the area in which krill can be caught and creating a California-sized reserve along...

There is accumulating evidence that interfering with the basic aging mechanisms can enhance healthy longevity. The interventional/therapeutic strategies targeting multiple aging hallmarks could be more effective than targeting one hallmark. While health-promoting qualities of marine oils have been extensively studied, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Lipid extracts from Antarctic krill are rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids choline, and astaxanthin. In this new study, researchers used C. elegans and human cells to investigate whether krill oil promotes healthy aging. "In a C. elegans model of Parkinson's disease, we show that krill oil protects dopaminergic neurons from aging-related...

Krill Discovered Living In The Antarctic AbyssFemale Antarctic krill. Krill have been found living and feeding down to depths of 3,000 meters. (Credit: Image courtesy of British Antarctic Survey) ScienceDaily (Feb. 26, 2008) — Scientists have discovered Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) living and feeding down to depths of 3000 metres in the waters around the Antarctic Peninsula. Until now this shrimp-like crustacean was thought to live only in the upper ocean. The discovery completely changes scientists' understanding of the major food source for fish, squid, penguins, seals and whales. Reporting recently in Current Biology, scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS)...

Food Shortages Threaten Antarctic WildlifeAntarctic whales, seals and penguins could be threatened by food shortages in the Southern Ocean. Numbers of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), a shrimp-like crustacean at the heart of the food chain, are declining. The most likely explanation is a dramatic decline in sea-ice. The results are published this week in the journal Nature. Sea-ice is a vital feeding ground for the huge number of krill in the Southern Ocean. The new research shows that krill numbers have dropped by about 80% since the 1970's. Less sea-ice during the winter is likely to be the cause and...