China has declared plans for an unprecedented expansion of fishing for Antarctic krill, the crustacean at the heart of the polar food web.

To make use of what China's state-owned agricultural development enterprise says are global protein riches, the country plans a seven-fold expansion in the annual catch, to the alarm of environmentalists. Krill underpin the survival of Antarctic marine life including whales, seals, penguins, seabirds and fish.

Krill may be tiny but they are big business, with China planning to increase the nation's catch. Credit:AP

Reported in the China Daily

The planned expansion comes after China stood with Russia against the creation of big marine reserves at the last meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.