According to NOAA it has prohibited the harvesting of krill in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington. The rule goes into effect on August 12, 2009. Krill are a small shrimp-like crustacean and a key source of nutrition in the marine food web.
Mark Helvey, NOAA’s Fisheries Service Southwest Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, opined that krill are the foundation for a healthy marine ecosystem. He added that protecting this vital food resource will help protect and maintain marine resources and put federal regulations in line with West-Coast states. It is said that the krill prohibition was adopted as Amendment 12 to the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which was developed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
It is explained that the decision of NOAA’s rule implements Amendment 12 to the FMP and is intended to preserve key nutritional relationships in the California Current ecosystem, which includes five National Marine Sanctuaries. William Douros, West Coast Regional Director for NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, said that this is a great success for protecting the entire California Current ecosystem.
