You may have come across krill oil capsules whilst perusing the increasingly extensive range of supplements on offer, or been recommended it when looking into omega-3s. These tiny crustaceans, Antarctic krill, are the source of one of the fastest-growing omega-3 supplements on the market. What the label doesn’t tell you, however, is that sourcing this ingredient is putting one of the world’s most important ecosystems – and the wildlife that depend on it – under increasing strain.
The environmental reality of krill oil supplements
Before exploring what krill oil is and what it claims to do, it’s important to understand where it comes from, and what the science says about the consequences.
Antarctic krill are fished out of the Southern Ocean, a remote and extraordinarily wildlife-rich habitat surrounding Antarctica. These centimetre-long crustaceans are not just a supplement ingredient: they are the keystone species at the foundation of the entire Antarctic food web. Whales, penguins, seals, and seabirds all depend on krill as their primary food source.
Industrial krill fishing has expanded dramatically in recent years. The fishing is now heavily concentrated around the Antarctic Peninsula — one of the most ecologically sensitive and wildlife-rich regions on Earth. Scientific evidence suggests that krill densities in this area may have declined by as much as 80 percent since the 1970s. [1]
Seven whale deaths have been linked to krill fishing operations in the Antarctic, with researchers and conservationists raising concerns about the increasing presence of industrial supertrawlers operating directly inside known whale foraging grounds. [3] A 2024 Stanford University study found that the recovery of whale populations — which are slowly rebuilding after centuries of commercial whaling — is now being threatened by competition from the krill fishery for the same food supply. [4] Published research in Global Change Biology (2023) further established that krill fishing is diminishing the food available to baleen whales at a critical moment in their population recovery. [6]
Chinstrap penguin populations are also under pressure. A 2023 study published in Diversity called for a full regional evaluation of krill fishing impacts on penguin populations, noting that current management frameworks do not adequately account for these predator–prey dynamics. [5] Research published in Ambio (2020) found that climate change impacts are not being incorporated into the regulation of the krill fishery, particularly in relation to penguin foraging ecology. [14] A separate study found that Antarctic fur seal feeding behaviour has been disrupted by krill fishing activity in their foraging areas. [13]
Krill also play a critical and underappreciated role in the global climate system. Antarctic krill consume carbon-rich phytoplankton near the surface and excrete dense faecal pellets that sink rapidly to the ocean floor, effectively locking carbon out of the atmosphere. Research has estimated the carbon sequestration services provided by Antarctic krill to be worth in excess of one billion dollars annually — a figure that is entirely absent from the economics used to justify the expansion of this fishery. [10]
Climate change is also affecting krill directly. Sea ice — which krill depend on for shelter and feeding during winter — is declining. A 2018 study concluded that reducing fishing pressure could help buffer krill populations against the impacts of a warming climate, while a 2016 Scientific American analysis documented that krill are already disappearing from some Antarctic waters. [15,16]
Industry, certification, and controversy
The krill oil industry has operated with the backing of a sustainability certification from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). In recent months, however, the MSC re-certified the krill fishery as sustainable — a decision that has been met with significant pushback from major environmental organisations. WWF and the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC), both formal observers to the MSC process, have lodged formal objections to the certification, arguing that the MSC has overlooked stark scientific evidence presented during its review. [2] This objection is particularly notable given that WWF was instrumental in founding the MSC in the late 1990s. Questions about the robustness of the MSC’s certification process in fisheries of this kind are not new: concerns were being raised in the scientific literature as early as 2010. [18]
The Changing Markets Foundation’s 2022 report Krill, Baby, Krill highlighted that the MSC’s certification framework has no clear approach to factoring climate change into its assessment of the krill fishery. The same report noted that the dominant krill oil company, Aker BioMarine, operated for over fifteen years before turning a profit — raising questions about the long-term financial viability of the industry. [7]
A January 2025 industry report from Tharos, How Krill Oil Reached Our Lives, analysed the growth of krill oil as a commercial and strategic phenomenon rather than a medical one, noting that long-term scientific evidence for health claims is often lacking and that marketing has frequently outpaced the science. [22]
A global wave of action
Concern about the krill fishery is translating into real action at the retail and regulatory level — particularly in Europe.
In March 2026, dm-drogerie markt — Germany’s largest drugstore chain and one of Europe’s largest retailers, with more than 4,000 stores across 14 countries — confirmed it will cease all sales of krill products. In a statement, dm’s Managing Director for private labels and sustainability described the decision as consistent with its understanding of responsible business practice and a forward-looking product range. [19] dm joins Holland & Barrett, which announced its intention to fully exit the krill category by April 2026 and co-authored the Antarctic Krill Pledge — a retail commitment not to reintroduce krill products in the future. Market forces are beginning to move.
In November 2025, WWF called for a full moratorium on Antarctic krill fishing after the annual meeting of CCAMLR (the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources) in Hobart ended without agreement on long-term fisheries management measures. [2] It was the first year the krill fishery had been forced to close early after its entire annual quota of 620,000 tonnes was caught rapidly — a direct consequence of a key spatial protection measure being allowed to lapse. In calling for a moratorium, WWF joined a scientific community that has been building this case for years: a 2022 paper in Science led by Dr Cassandra Brooks made a formal case for a moratorium on fishing in the Southern Ocean pending better management frameworks, and a 2022 paper in Nature Scientific Reports identified critical mismatches between the scales at which fisheries management operates and the ecological dynamics of predator–prey interactions in the Southern Ocean. [8,11]
Aker BioMarine — the world’s largest krill harvesting company — has also recently launched a plant-based algal omega-3 product. [21,22] The move into alternatives by the industry’s dominant player is being closely watched by conservation campaigners. In Australia, Senator Nick McKim has raised the issue in the Senate, bringing political attention to the Southern Ocean and initiating debate in Canberra. [12]
Krill oil is an omega-3 fatty acid supplement derived from Antarctic krill. Unlike fish oil — which is the more widely established omega-3 supplement — krill oil contains its omega-3s (EPA and DHA) bound to phospholipids rather than triglycerides. Some manufacturers claim this improves absorption, though the evidence for superior bioavailability over standard fish oil remains contested.
Krill oil also contains astaxanthin, a naturally occurring antioxidant that gives krill (and flamingos) their pink colour, and is often cited in marketing materials as an additional benefit.
What does krill oil claim to treat?
Krill oil is marketed for a range of conditions including:
- Heart health and cholesterol management
- Joint pain and osteoarthritis
- Brain health and cognitive function
- Inflammation and general wellbeing
- Premenstrual symptoms
Does the science support these claims?
The evidence for krill oil’s health benefits is limited and, in many cases, insufficient to support the marketing claims made. Industry analysts and medical professionals have noted that the clinical evidence base for krill oil supplements is thin, with short-term trials and industry-funded research making up a significant portion of what exists. Australian medical experts consulted on the question of krill oil for osteoarthritis have indicated that a GP would not turn to krill oil as a supplement for patients experiencing joint pain — other evidence-based interventions would be considered first.
What about fish oil or algae-based omega-3s?
Fish oil is a well-established and more affordable source of omega-3 fatty acids. For those seeking a plant-based or vegan alternative, algal oil — derived from the microalgae that krill themselves feed on — provides EPA and DHA without any animal products and without the ecological footprint of Antarctic fishing. Algal oil is increasingly available and is the supplement of choice for those who want omega-3 benefits without contributing to the pressures on the Southern Ocean.
The bottom line
Krill oil is a supplement whose marketing claims have run well ahead of both the clinical evidence and the ecological reality of its production. The Antarctic ecosystem is under documented and growing pressure from industrial krill fishing, a fishery operating without adequate precautionary management in a period of rapid climate change. Major retailers are responding to this evidence by exiting the category. International scientific bodies and conservation organisations are calling for a moratorium.
If you are considering an omega-3 supplement, fish oil or algal oil offers comparable or better-evidenced benefits without the environmental cost. Before purchasing any supplement, speak with a healthcare professional about whether it is appropriate for your specific health needs.
