Our first days here have been both inspiring and heartbreaking. Inspiring, because we’ve witnessed an incredible abundance of life—countless fin whales, humpbacks, and even southern right whales feasting on krill. Captain Alex Cornelissen, Sea Shepherd CEO, shared his initial reactions from the ship:

“It’s an amazing feeling to be back on campaign in the Southern Ocean. With five previous anti-whaling campaigns under my belt, I thought I knew what to expect. But this trip has greatly exceeded my expectations. We arrived with the krill fleet at Coronation Island on Monday the 24th of March and set out in the small boats to get close to the krill fishermen. The amount of wildlife that we had to navigate through on our short trip from the Allankay to one of the Chinese krill fishing vessels was unbelievable. Chinstrap penguins everywhere, fin whales all around us, even a Southern Right Whale.

We’re also heartbroken to find the industrial krill fleet operating right in the midst of these feeding whales. Cornelissen describes the alarming reality of watching krill nets plow through bustling marine life:

“We meticulously navigated our small boat to keep the required distance between us and the wildlife only to see the krill vessel drag its net through the middle of all this activity. From there we went to a Ukrainian vessel; they were even steering directly at the whales while dragging their krill net behind them. Also, one of the Norwegian ships engaged in similar behavior. Aker Biomarine, the Norwegian company that owns the krill fishing vessels that are responsible for more than half of the catch down here.”

Krill is the foundation of the Antarctic food web, essential not just for whales and penguins, but for all of the marine wildlife in the Southern Ocean that depend on krill to survive. Allowing industrial fishing in these pristine waters threatens the entire ecosystem.

“It’s outrageous that fishing is even allowed here in an area so teeming with wildlife,” says Cornelissen. “On Tuesday we woke up to a feeding frenzy, hundreds probably over a thousand whales surrounded the Allankay, feeding on krill. None of us on board had ever witnessed such a sight. We saw at least eight Southern Right Whales; we saw Fin whales everywhere and some humpbacks as well.”

He continues:

“This is an area of unbelievable biodiversity, an area that should be fully protected against human activity. Fishing should not be allowed here. I cannot think of an area in the ocean that has a higher need for protection than where we are now. The creation of a Marine Protected Area North of Coronation Island should be the world’s top priority.”

Why We’re Here

Sea Shepherd's commitment is to defend these vulnerable waters from industrial exploitation. By bringing scientists on board, we aim to gather and share the data needed to reveal the real-time impacts on Antarctic wildlife. With fewer eyes on the Southern Ocean once tourist ships head home, our extended presence will ensure that the world sees what’s at stake—and what’s going wrong.

What’s Different This Year

     > Longer Presence: We will stay to keep watch on the krill fleet long after the tourist season ends, documenting every move.
     > Scientific Collaboration: Marine experts will collect data to build an even stronger case for permanent protection of these waters.
     > Global Spotlight: Using our worldwide media presence to get the word out, we shine a light on the threats facing Antarctic wildlife and demand urgent protections.
     > Krill Toolkit: Our supporters can now take direct action from anywhere by using our Krill Toolkit—a resource that empowers them to contact retailers stocking krill-based products and urge them to explore ocean-friendly alternatives. 

Our campaign is rooted in a simple truth: Antarctica’s marine life deserves sanctuary, not exploitation. If krill populations are pillaged, everything from penguins to whales will pay the price. We stand firm in our commitment to protect this crucial habitat—until every net is out of these waters for good.

For the oceans, Sea Shepherd.