One of the Ocean’s Last Great Gatherings—Still Left Unprotected.
In the icy waters near Coronation Island, Antarctica, hundreds—possibly thousands—of whales gather in one of the most breathtaking wildlife spectacles on Earth. Fin whales. Humpbacks. Even the elusive southern right whale. They come to feed on krill, the tiny crustaceans that fuel life across the Southern Ocean.
But even here, in this rare stronghold of abundance, industrial krill trawlers move in—dragging vast nets through pods of whales, rafts of penguins, and packs of seals. These ships, operated by companies from Norway, China, and Ukraine, exploit the same concentration of life that makes this place so extraordinary.
Sea Shepherd’s newest videos (see above & below) from Antarctica captures this stunning contrast: a living ocean teeming with whales, shadowed by the steel machinery of industrial extraction. This is not a hypothetical threat. It’s real. It’s documented. And it’s happening now.
For the third consecutive year, Sea Shepherd has returned to Antarctica—arriving later, staying longer, and pushing deeper into krill fishing territory than ever before. As research and tourism vessels retreat for the season, only the trawlers remain. And Sea Shepherd.
Our crew is collecting evidence. Scientists aboard the Allankay are documenting how often krill trawlers operate inside active feeding grounds—how close they come, how whales react, and how much is at risk. This data is aimed directly at CCAMLR, the international body that continues to delay the creation of desperately needed marine protected areas.
This place is still alive. But it won’t stay that way without protection. The fact that so many whales are here isn’t proof that the system is safe—it’s a sign that we still have something worth saving. And that makes the failure to act even more inexcusable.
Take action at SaveKrill.com
This is what a sanctuary looks like. It’s time the world treated it like one.
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