PROTESTERS wearing penguin masks gathered outside Mornington Central shopping centre on 30 June, joining a national day of action demanding vitamin giant Swisse stop selling krill oil harvested from Antarctic waters.
The 4pm demonstration at Chemist Warehouse in Barkly St was one of nine held simultaneously across Australia on the day, organised by the Bob Brown Foundation. Actions took place at Chemist Warehouse stores across Victoria – including Melbourne, Geelong West and Footscray – with further protests in Perth, Hobart, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.
Peninsula resident Lisa Bouten was among those who attended the afternoon demonstration.
“Really encouraging to see a number of young people turn up, as well as us oldies, to protest against massive supertrawlers plundering Antarctica for krill. It gives me hope for the future,” said Bouten.
Krill forms the base of the Antarctic food web, providing essential nutrition for whales, penguins, seals and seabirds.
According to the Bob Brown Foundation, Swisse sources its krill from Aker BioMarine who are responsible for approximately 70 per cent of all Antarctic krill extracted.
Their supertrawlers, some stretching more than 130 metres, trawl continuously near whale pods and penguin breeding colonies. The foundation says the vessels have been linked to multiple humpback whale deaths through entanglement since 2021.
“Swisse could stop being an Antarctic destroyer and become an Antarctic protector overnight and Australians would celebrate them for it,” said Alistair Allan, Antarctic and Marine Campaigner at Bob Brown Foundation.
The calls come amid growing international momentum. At last year’s UN Ocean Conference, 75 conservation groups, scientists and public figures called for a complete end to Antarctic krill fishing.
“With protests all over Australia today, and retailer after retailer in Europe committing to no longer selling krill oil, Swisse should read the writing on the wall and stop taking part in Antarctica’s plunder,” said Allan.
The Bob Brown Foundation is calling on Swisse and all Australian retailers to cease producing or stocking krill products.
“Penguins and whales need krill, Swisse does not,” said Allan.
First published in the Mornington News – 7 June 2026
