text | Popular science
Antarctic krill , also known as giant krill , belongs to the krill family in arthropods and does not belong to shrimp; it generally lives near Antarctica, but the place with the highest distribution density is the Atlantic Ocean .
The adult Antarctic krill is only 60mm-90mm in length and weighs 2g. It is a super-large plankton that feeds on other plankton.
It is completely transparent, all organs are clearly visible, and it also has bioluminescent devices that can emit light. The yellow-green light is like a " firefly " in the sea.
Due to overfishing, traditional fish resources are gradually decreasing, and global fishery resources are also gradually declining. The discovery of Antarctic krill is destined to contain huge economic value, and is therefore called "the largest protein resource bank in the future of mankind." ".
Its reproductive capacity is astonishing. It can lay 6,000-10,000 eggs at a time, and the population density is as high as 10,000-30,000 eggs/cubic meter. With a large base, even if more than one billion Chinese people join the battle, they will not be able to eat them all;
According to According to incomplete statistics, the initially discovered reserves of Antarctic krill ranged from 650 million tons to 1 billion tons, with a value comparable to a "sea gold mine" and attracting competition from various countries.
Subsequently, "Southern Ocean Biological Resources Reserve Survey" mentioned that the number of Antarctic krill is increasing year by year, and has grown to 5 billion tons, and most of it is concentrated in the Antarctic waters.
Marine strategic resources have always been one of the focuses of competition between countries. The huge number of Antarctic krill has intensified the competition. Specialized research and development technology and shipbuilding are rushing to Antarctica for fishing.
Data shows that the total number of Antarctic krill fished from Antarctic waters by countries around the world has reached 250,000 tons every year, and competition is becoming increasingly fierce.
Although China started late in this "battle for shrimps", it is considered to be the biggest beneficiary and the ultimate winner. Why is this?
Countries around the world have begun a "battle for shrimp". How fierce is the competition?
The significance of marine strategic resources goes without saying. The competition among countries for krill is like a "war without gunpowder smoke", and the intensity can be imagined.
In the krill "relay baton" race, the former Soviet Union started early and quickly and firmly occupied the first position. However, an accident occurred midway. Japan caught up and became the leader in the second leg; Norway relied on new technologies , gradually leaving Japan behind and taking the lead in the third leg.
As a rising star, China can be said to be the master of . Under the guidance of taking the essence and discarding the dross, we are advancing all the way .
- The former Soviet Union - powerful, holding the top spot in krill fishing:
The former Soviet Union was the first to realize the strategic significance of Antarctic krill. In 1972, the former Soviet Union formulated the "Antarctic Exploration Plan" and quickly captured krill. The population distribution location and population size should be clearly investigated, and commercial fishing should be carried out. Although the scale of
's initial fishing was small, it still did not hinder the speed of the former Soviet Union on the "track". In 1982, the global krill catch was 528,000 tons, of which the former Soviet Union accounted for 491,700 tons!
Who would have thought that the former Soviet Union’s fishing volume in 1977 was only 105,000 tons. In just five years, it increased four or five times, accounting for almost 80% of the world’s fishing volume. This determines the former Soviet Union’s top spot in krill. Location.
- Japan - coming from behind, taking over the krill's second baton and showing its first edge :
The movements of the former Soviet Union have attracted the attention of countries around the world. Due to political changes, the former Soviet Union has gradually slowed down or even stagnated, and can only make an emergency "retreat" midway. "Speed", Japan, which relies on marine resources for survival, took advantage of the chaos to speed up.
Japan’s small land area and special geographical location mean that ordinary people can only rely on marine fisheries to meet their daily needs. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Japan realized the importance of krill to national survival. It hurriedly and slowly overtook the country and finally overtook it at the corner.
In 1993, Japan's krill catch was 57,000 tons, a fraction of what it was before the former Soviet Union. However, "the tiger is gone, the monkey is king" , and the global catch at that time was only 65,000 tons.
As a result, Japan succeeded in taking over and became the second generation "Krill Brother".
- Norway - old and new, far ahead in the third krill relay:
Japan has been firmly on the throne of krill fishing for 12 years, until 2005. In the experience of overtaking Japan in corners, Norway relied on technology Strength, develop new fishing equipment , the annual krill catch accounts for almost half of the world, successfully took over the third baton, and is far ahead of Japan.
In fact, as competition becomes more and more fierce, the United States, South Korea and Russia are becoming more and more jealous. However, the speed is not enough and they have been left far behind.
Compared with these countries, China entered the track very late, but the international view is unprecedentedly consistent: China may be the biggest beneficiary of this "battle for shrimps" . What is the reason?
Why is China said to be the biggest beneficiary of the “shrimp war”?
China typically started late in fishing for krill and developed quickly. It is a veritable "dark horse" on the track. However, the huge population and demand for daily necessities determine that we must run faster.
In 1984, my country conducted its first Antarctic scientific expedition and conducted a "back-up adjustment" of krill. In 2010, it officially joined the "Battle for Shrimp". However, due to a lack of technology and equipment, with only one krill fishing vessel, the catch was only 31,900 tons.
However, after absorbing the technology and lessons of its predecessors, China doubled its fishing volume in 2016 to 66,000 tons, and its fishing vessels also increased to 5!
In 2019, my country used the most advanced international technology to independently develop and design the professional-grade krill fishing vessel Deep Blue. With it, my country’s krill fishing volume exceeded 100,000 tons, closely catching up with Norway’s 160,000 tons. At present, Ranked second in the world is .
Deep Blue has a hull length of 120 meters, a width of 21.6 meters, a draft of 7.3 meters, a load capacity of 5,000 tons, and can operate normally at -25°C and an ice thickness of 0.8 . It is also equipped with a continuous pump fishing system and fully automatic production The assembly line not only has the functions of fishing and processing, but can also be used for scientific research.
In addition to the Deep Blue, my country's "Antarctic" will also play a role in catching krill. In the past ten years, my country's krill fishing has really surprised the world, so it is considered to be the biggest beneficiary.
Is Antarctic krill really inexhaustible?
Antarctic krill, as large plankton, is a marine resource for humans, but it is a necessary survival material for marine life. Whales, seals, and even seabirds all need to feed on krill, etc. .
Therefore, humans fishing for krill is actually equivalent to snatching from the mouths of marine life.
According to incomplete statistics, the annual consumption of Antarctic krill is about 313 million tons, of which seals eat 63 million to 130 million tons and whales eat 34 million to 43 million tons, in addition to other marine life.
Therefore, although Antarctic krill have strong reproductive capacity and rapid population growth, if humans overfish, the greenhouse effect causes sea water temperature to rise, etc., plankton will not be able to survive , and its number will decrease sharply.
At that time, it may cause marine ecological imbalance, and marine life will lack food sources. All consequences will be borne by humans. The consequences can be imagined.
For the survival of mankind, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) stipulates that the upper limit of Antarctic krill fishing is 625,000 tons per year, in order to maintain the overall ecological balance.
Whether it is marine resources or other resources needed for human survival, only if they are developed and utilized rationally can we go far; asking for it from nature without restraint will only destroy the ecological balance.
