In March, we became the first manufacturer to sign Sea Shepherd’s Antarctic Krill Pledge. As of May 2026, we have now officially sold through our remaining krill stock and will not be restocking.
This was not a decision we made lightly. Our krill products used sustainability-accredited krill, and we have always taken sourcing seriously. However, we share Sea Shepherd’s concern that accreditation alone is no longer enough when the wider environmental risks are considered.
Across the supplement industry, more brands and retailers are now moving away from krill. The reason is simple: krill is too important to the Antarctic ecosystem to be treated as just another supplement ingredient.
Our position is equally simple. There are superior alternatives available: better for your health, and better for the planet.
Why krill matters
Krill are small, shrimp-like crustaceans that live in vast swarms in the Southern Ocean. Antarctic krill is one of the most important species in this ecosystem, forming the foundation of the Antarctic food web. Whales, penguins, seals, seabirds, squid and fish all depend on krill, either directly or indirectly.
The concern with krill harvesting is not only how much is taken, but where and when fishing takes place. Krill often gathers in dense swarms, which can overlap with key feeding grounds for Antarctic wildlife. Even a regulated fishery can create localised pressure in sensitive areas, especially during breeding and feeding seasons.
Fishing activity can also bring wider risks, including increased vessel traffic, disturbance to wildlife and accidental interactions with marine animals. These pressures are especially concerning as the Southern Ocean is already being affected by climate change, including warming waters, changing sea ice patterns and shifts in krill distribution.
Krill also plays an important role in the ocean’s natural carbon cycle. Through feeding, migration and waste production, krill helps move carbon into deeper water, where it can be stored for longer periods.
For us, the key point is simple: krill is not just a supplement ingredient. It is a foundation species in a fragile ecosystem. When effective alternatives already exist, we believe it is right to leave krill in the Antarctic food web.
Why people take krill supplements
People usually take krill oil for three reasons: omega 3, astaxanthin and phospholipids.
Krill oil contains the omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which are the main reason many people use it as a supplement. It also contains small amounts of astaxanthin, the red antioxidant pigment that gives krill oil its colour. Finally, krill oil contains phospholipids, a type of fat found naturally in cell membranes.
These are undoubtedly beneficial nutrients, but none of them are unique to krill. More importantly, krill is no longer the best way to obtain them.
Omega 3 (EPA & DHA)
The strongest alternative to krill oil is algae oil. Algae is not an imitation of marine omega 3. It is the original source. EPA and DHA enter the marine food chain through algae and phytoplankton, which are then consumed by krill, fish and other marine animals.
By choosing algae omega 3, we can go directly to the primary source, rather than relying on krill as a secondary source. This avoids harvesting a species that whales, penguins, seals and seabirds depend on.
Nutritionally, this is a superior omega 3 product. Compared with our previous krill product, our algae omega 3 provides more than double the total omega 3, more EPA and four times the DHA.
Astaxanthin
Some customers choose krill oil because it naturally contains astaxanthin. However, the amount present in krill oil is relatively small.
Our previous krill oil product provided 200 micrograms, or 0.2 mg, of astaxanthin per suggested serving. By comparison, even our lowest-strength standalone astaxanthin option provides 35 times this amount. For customers specifically interested in astaxanthin for its antioxidant properties, a dedicated astaxanthin supplement is therefore a far more targeted option.
Natural astaxanthin is available from the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis, one of the richest natural sources of this red carotenoid. This allows customers to take astaxanthin directly, without relying on krill harvesting.
Again, this is not a compromise. It is a more precise and effective way to obtain the nutrient people are looking for.
Phospholipids
Krill oil also contains phospholipids, which are sometimes used as a point of difference against fish oil. Phospholipids are important compounds found in cell membranes, but they are not exclusive to krill.
They are available from a range of non-krill sources, including plant-derived sources such as sunflower lecithin.
This means customers who are interested in phospholipids do not need to rely on Antarctic krill. As with omega 3 and astaxanthin, there are effective alternatives that avoid placing further pressure on the Antarctic food web.
Better for you, better for the planet
We stopped selling krill because the case for continuing no longer made sense.
Even with sustainability-accredited sourcing, we share Sea Shepherd’s concern that harvesting Antarctic krill is not compatible with the direction the supplement industry should be taking, especially when better alternatives already exist.
Algae omega 3 provides higher levels of the key omega 3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, than our previous krill product. Astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis offers a more targeted antioxidant option, while plant-derived phospholipids provide a non-krill route for those interested in phospholipid intake.
Customers do not have to choose between efficacy and environmental responsibility. With the right alternatives, they can have both: superior nutrition from more responsible sources.
That is why we signed Sea Shepherd’s Antarctic Krill Pledge earlier this year. For us, this is the future of supplementation: better nutrients, better sourcing and less pressure on the marine ecosystems we all depend on.
Further reading:
Sea Shepherd - Exposing the Krill Fleet
Sea Shepherd - Protecting the Oceans' Vital Food Source: Krill
WWF - Mismanagement of Antarctic krill fishery putting whales at risk, says WWF (Press Release)
NIH - Comparative Bioavailability of DHA and EPA from Microalgal and Fish Oil in Adults
