Ecosystems of the Barents Sea Region

The Barents Sea Region differs from most other Arctic sea areas in the way that the majority of the Barents Sea has historically been ice-free all year round. There is a huge human population living around the Barents Sea, and the exploration of both living and non-living resources is important. The region is highly developed and industrialized. Cold Arctic waters meet warm Atlantic waters and there are diverse and different ecosystems between the northern and southern part of the region. Due to climate change and warmer waters there is an ongoing borealization of the Barents Sea region. Species are moving northwards and new species are introduced to the area. The region is one of the most fishery intensive regions in the world. Because of the warmer waters, the huge northeast Arctic cod population is moving farther north and east in the Barents Sea. The commercially important species mackerel and snow crab have migrated to the region. The co-management regime between Norway and Russia is a main reason for the healthy fish stocks in the region.