Did you know that it's national marine week (24th July to the 8th August)? The ocean covers 70% of the Earth's surface, provides 80% of the world's biodiversity produces over half the world's oxygen.
Marine-themed activities will be going on across the country to celebrate the amazing wildlife found in the seas around the UK and we thought it the perfect chance, as a user of marine ingredients, to talk about our efforts to conserve the health of our oceans and its inhabitants.
Sustainably sourced Antarctic Krill Oil
Krill is a vital species in the food chain and can only be fished in a sustainable way. Krill is rich in Omega-3 fats and the naturally occurring and powerful antioxidant Astaxanthin. The market for krill oil is growing and so krill fisheries need to be well-managed; this means fishing should be informed by science and research and closely monitored to ensure it is sustainable.
Just Vitamins' Krill Oil is sourced from Aker BioMarine, a company with sustainability and eco-harvesting at its heart. Aker BioMarine has partnered with the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) and WWF-Norway to establish the Antarctic Wildlife Research Fund (AWR). The fund's purpose is to facilitate and promote Antarctic marine ecosystem research. Since it started the AWR has funded many research projects that will improve the management of the fishery for Antarctic krill.
In 2020, Aker BioMarine received its third consecutive certification from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) for its sustainable Antarctic krill fishery. All MSC certified fisheries have been assessed against the MSC Fisheries Standard, a science-based set of requirements for sustainable fishing. Aker BioMarine was initially certified in 2010 and was the first krill company to carry the MSC ecolabel.
One of the key things that the independent assessors noted was that Aker BioMarine takes a precautionary approach to catch levels and has minimal bycatch. In fact, Aker BioMarine is a significant contributor to the monitoring of the krill biomass. Compared to other fisheries where precautionary catch limits are commonly set to 10% or more, the total allowable krill catch is limited to less than 1% of the stock biomass, leaving more than 99% of the biomass for krill feeding predators.
In the same vein, Aker BioMarine, including other major Antarctic krill fishing companies, have also formed the Association of Responsible Krill Harvesting Companies (ARK). ARK fisheries have agreed to restrict fishing to help protect marine animals that feed on krill. Notably, the fisheries will not operate close to penguin colonies during the breeding season. This action followed a campaign from Greenpeace in 2018.
For the sixth year in a row, Aker BioMarine's Krill fishery received an “A” rating from the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP). The independent report states that the fish stocks are listed in “very good condition,” and the Antarctic krill fishery in the Atlantic Southern Ocean is once again singled out as being particularly well-managed.
Aker Marine have pledged to continue to work actively to protect ecosystems, reduce their industrial footprint, and contribute to future healthy and sustainable nutrition systems, you can read more about their new and ambitious sustainability goals here.
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- Pure Sustainable sourced Antarctic Krill Oil
- Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified^
- A superior source of Omega-3's DHA and EPA
- Vanilla flavoured, easy to swallow capsules
A healthy balanced diet is the best way to consume all the nutrients we need. Sometimes however this isn't possible and then supplements can help. This article isn't intended to replace medical advice. Please consult your healthcare professional before trying any supplements or herbal medicines.