This kind of shrimp, which is meatier than shrimp skin, is being caught more and more? Antarctic krill: I'm laying my cards on the table

When it comes to shrimp, the first thing that comes to mind is probably various kinds of boiled shrimp, fried shrimp, steamed shrimp dumplings, hot pot shrimp balls... But what we are going to talk about today is a kind of shrimp that is more "meatier" than shrimp skin - Antarctic krill!

Although it is small, only the size of a fingernail, this shrimp is not simple! They live in the cold waters of Antarctica and are the largest single species biological resource on the planet. The total amount is estimated to be around several billion tons, which is several times more than the current annual global fish catch!

What is even more surprising is that despite the fact that the amount of prey on Antarctic krill by various creatures has increased year by year, their population has remained stable, and some studies have even shown that it has a significant increase in some areas! What is going on? Today, let us learn about this magical secret of krill!

1. Antarctic krill: Antarctica's "shrimp soldiers and crab generals"

Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) is a small crustacean belonging to the family Euphausiaceae. They are transparent with a reddish hue and are generally 4-6 cm long. Antarctic krill is an important part of the Antarctic ecosystem and is the main food source for large marine life such as whales, penguins, and seals.

The living habits of Antarctic krill are very interesting. They like to live in groups, often gathering to form huge "shrimp tornado" groups of shrimps, with a number of hundreds of millions and a density of even thousands per cubic meter! The huge number makes them an indispensable link in the Antarctic food chain.

2. The more they catch, the more they are catching? Antarctic krill population growth

Faced with such a huge population, you may wonder if Antarctic krill has a unique "growth secret"? In fact, there are many scientific explanations behind this:

1. Advances in fishing technology:

In the early days, due to the harsh environment of the Antarctic waters and limited fishing technology, the catch of Antarctic krill by humans was very limited. With the development of modern technology, the tonnage of fishing boats has become larger and larger, and fishing equipment has become more and more advanced, which has led to an increase in the catch of Antarctic krill year by year. But this does not mean that the population of Antarctic krill is decreasing, but rather that we have "discovered" more shrimp swarms and successfully caught shrimp!

2. The population has strong resilience:

Antarctic krill have a very strong reproductive capacity and can lay eggs many times a year, with thousands of eggs laid each time. Moreover, the Antarctic waters are relatively closed and the impact of human activities is relatively small, which provides a good living environment for Antarctic krill and the krill population can recover quickly.

3. Impact of climate change:

Studies have shown that climate change may have an impact on the population of Antarctic krill. For example, the reduction of sea ice may increase the living space of Antarctic krill, thereby promoting its population growth.

3. Antarctic krill: a natural, low-pollution “protein factory”

In addition to their huge numbers, Antarctic krill have another very attractive feature - they are a natural, low-pollution source of high-quality protein!

Antarctic krill is a high-protein, high-nutrition, mineral-rich marine animal, rich in 8 essential amino acids and 10 non-essential amino acids needed by the human body. Among them, the content of glutamic acid, which represents nutritional characteristics, is particularly rich. In addition, Antarctic krill is also rich in nutrients such as selenium.

Antarctic krill grow in the Antarctic waters far away from human activities, with good water quality and low pollution. Moreover, the protein content of this kind of shrimp can be as high as 15-25%, which is much higher than that of small shrimp skin! More importantly, after being dried, Antarctic krill has the red color of cooked prawns, and the meat is firmer and more delicious, with the taste of prawns, which is not inferior to shrimp skin at all!

In addition, Antarctic krill is also rich in astaxanthin and phospholipid DHA. We know that these two ingredients are very beneficial to human health.

A. Astaxanthin is a high value-added antioxidant terpenoid substance with strong antioxidant activity. It also has many functions such as anti-cancer, inflammation prevention, eye protection, etc. It has good applications in food, medical, cosmetics and feed industries.

B. Phospholipid DHA is more easily absorbed and utilized by the human body, and is also beneficial to the health of the brain and eyes. For example, Antarctic krill oil can effectively improve the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and structural changes in colon tissue in mice, and maintain the homeostasis of the intestinal flora of mice at different levels.

C. Although Antarctic krill is rich in nutrients, it also has a "small disadvantage" - the fluorine content is indeed high. We know that fluorine, as a trace element, is beneficial to human bones and teeth when consumed in moderation, but excessive intake can have an impact. In recent years, the research team of Ocean University of China has made major breakthroughs in this field! Through innovative bioengineering technology, an efficient krill defluorination method has been successfully developed, which not only greatly reduces the fluorine content in krill, but also fully retains its nutritional components. Now, krill is not only a pollution-free, nutritious super food, but also a highlight of China's scientific and technological innovation!

4. Natural gifts and environmental protection: the best of both worlds

Although Antarctic krill resources are abundant, we cannot overfish them. After all, Antarctic krill are an important part of the Antarctic ecosystem, and if their number decreases significantly, the entire ecosystem may be affected.

Therefore, now, while people are enjoying the deliciousness and nutrition brought by Antarctic krill, they are also bearing in mind the importance of environmental protection, making rational use of this precious natural resource and preserving the purity of Antarctica, this pure land.

Finally, Antarctic krill is an excellent natural marine biological resource that deserves our in-depth research and extensive application. Now, we can find a sustainable way to use it that can meet the needs of the species without damaging the ecological environment.

In the future, Antarctic krill will continue to thrive in Antarctica, this icy continent, bringing more surprises and benefits to species diversity!

References:

1. Ma Tiantian, Xiao Zhefei, Ouyang Jie, Shen Jian. 2024. Degradation kinetics of astaxanthin from Antarctic krill during cooking. Fisheries Modernization, 51(5): 110-116. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1007-9580.2024.05.013

2. Wan Shujie, Chen Xinjun. 2025. Distribution of hotspot habitats of deep-sea scattering layer organisms in the southwestern Indian Ocean under different Indian Ocean dipole modes. Journal of Fisheries of China. doi:10.11964/jfc.20230814128

3. Composition and antioxidant activity of Antarctic krill phospholipids. Food Research & Development, 2024, Vol 45, Issue 3, p1610.12161/j.issn.1005-6521.2024.03.003

4. Effects of Antarctic krill oil on dopaminergic neurons and intestinal flora in Parkinson's mice. Journal of Chinese Institute of Food Science & Technology / Zhongguo Shipin Xuebao, 2024, Vol 24, Issue 10, p134. 10.16429/j.1009-7848.2024.10.013

5. Research progress on the synthesis of astaxanthin by microbial fermentation. Synthetic Biology 2024, Vol. 5 Issue (1): 126-143.DOI: 10.12211/2096-8280.2023-065