Starting the collapse

Staff · Issue 144, May/Jun 2025 · pp. 4

Editorial Peter Rowlands peter@uwpmag.com Starting the collapse Bashing a brick off the top of a tall chimney stack will make virtually no difference to its performance but remove just a few from the base layer and you will almost certainly make the whole structure collapse. A similar situation is taking place in Antarctica where 14 supertrawler factory ships are hoovering up krill to sell them as Omega-3 supplements and feed for salmon farming. These small crustacea are a vital food source for many marine animals, including whales, penguins, and seals. They also play a crucial role in nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration within the Southern Ocean. Sure, the Antarctic waters are a huge area but krill concentrate in smaller defined areas and, if they are targeted and removed, the very building blocks of life in the ocean will be severely affected. The result could lead to a collapse …