According to the study the krill can thrive in icy waters some 3,000 meters deep off Antarctica as well as near the surface. The British researchers opined that the availability of krill in the depths does not mean that stocks of the crustaceans sometimes called “pink gold” are far bigger than previously expected nor that trawlers can expect bigger quotas.
The British Antarctic Survey accepted that the scientists have found Antarctic krill living and feeding down to depths of 3,000 meters in waters around the Antarctic peninsula. In a report with the National Oceanography Centre in Southamption it is mention that the discovery completely changes scientists’ understanding of the major food source for fish, squid, penguins, seals and whales.
Andrew Clarke of the British Antarctic Survey said that there aren’t many organisms that will travel over that depth range. He added that krill is a lot more flexible physiologically and a lot more flexible behaviorally than we ever imagined. He explained that krill travel mainly to the sea floor to feed on algae falling from surface waters when the summer of Antarctic ends. Krill grows up to about 6 cms and would probably take about four hours to swim up to the surface again.
