Did Whole Foods Blunder by Pulling Krill Oil?

Just found this blog and I am surprised.  When I asked a sales person at the Whole Foods store in Wellington, Fl they told me they pulled the products due to mercury contamination.

Strange!

Marie

Antarctic KRILL more ABUNDANT and STABLE than was thought before.

This is the conclusion of an independent multi-year study in the shallow Antarctic waters. The results contradict the (unscientific) belief that krill harvest for human consumption (for KRILL OIL) is not sustainable. Specifically, such position was taken by Whole Foods.  The researchers say that their findings can positively impact the way the krill biomass is managed by the international krill management organization CCAMLR.

The researchers, Dr. Joseph Warren and Dr. David Demer, conducted acoustic tests from small boats near the shores north of Livingston Island, Antarctica. They did the surveys for many years in a row; from the year 2000 to 2007. The results were published in the July 2010 issue of the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.

Using smaller boats that allow access to shallow, nearshore waters, the two researchers from Stony Brook University and the Southwest Fisheries Science Center,  discovered that nearshore waters had significantly higher krill (Euphausia superba) biomass density than offshore waters. They also found that the nearshore waters had less variation between years than populations in offshore waters.

“Nearshore krill biomass is generally most accessible and attractive to land-breeding predators as well as to human fishers competing for this valuable resource,” said Dr. Warren.

Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) can be up to 5 cm in length and are the primary food source for most of the marine mammals and seabirds in Antarctica. The University writes in their press release that the krill “are also commercially fished so it is important to ensure that human fishing activities do not negatively impact the native animals that rely on krill for energy for themselves and their offspring”.

The study is significant, because until now all estimates of the size of the krill biomass have been based on sampling by very large boats in offshore waters. The results from these offshore surveys have been projected onto the coastal waters. Warren and Demer examined the abundance within several miles offshore. Warren concludes that “although the spatial area of our nearshore survey is quite small when compared with that of the entire Scotia Sea, the high and stable densities of krill in shallow water may be more important ecologically than the offshore krill”.

As an avid Krill Oil user, I find this Whole Foods decision to vbe made in a rash manner, without proper research. They recently did the same thing with pulling Kombucha off the shelf. It seems they react first then try and figure it out later. Not the best practice for a major retailer.

I've always touted my position on the corporate food chain as "krill" - on step higher than plankton. Now I can rightly claim that without my biomass populating my allocated square footage the entire corporate ecosystem would collapse!

I'm taking Omega 3 produced from "Wild Pacific Salmon" (are there actually tame Pacific Salmon?). Seems to have taken care of those nasty fish-burps that seem to burble up an hour or so after consumption. Just wondering if the capsules (tablet form available?) have a similar fishy aftereffect - or not.

The real issue in the Antarctic krill fishery is the risk of localized depletion. As you stated, almost all the effort in the Antarctic krill fishery takes place in one area (CCCAMLR area 48) and scientists are concerned that if market demand is increased catches could increase substantially in this area, leading to localized depletion of krill. The ecosystem effects of such depletions of a keystone species on marine mammal, birds, and krill-dependent species, coupled with effects from a changing Antarctic climate (timing and extent of sea ice melting, etc) are largely unknown and unaccounted for in CCAMLR's management approach.  There is also a very large amount of uncertainty in the biomass estimates of krill (the last region-wide survey was in 2000-2001).

It should also be noted that the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) filed an official objection to MSC certification of Aker Biomarine krill. The notice of objection can be found here: http://www.msc.org/track-a-fishery/in-assessment/southern-ocean/aker-biomarine-antarctic-krill/assessment-downloads

Makes me wonder what sort of agenda these Pew guys have. Maybe they just don't want any fishing anywhere.