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Surprisingly large numbers of young cod off Spitsbergen

Heiner Kubny 24. September 2026 | Animals, Arctic, Svalbard

An Atlantic cod (*Gadus morhua*). Norwegian marine researchers have found an unusually large number of young cod in the glacial fjords of Spitsbergen. Research is now underway to determine whether the species is spreading further north as Arctic waters warm. (Photo: Wilhelm Thomas Fiege / Wikimedia Commons)

Norwegian marine researchers have found a surprisingly large number of young cod in the glacial fjords of Svalbard. They are now investigating whether Atlantic cod are spreading further north as the Arctic warms.

During a pilot expedition in 2024 along the west coast of Svalbard, researchers caught more juvenile cod in some fjords than at comparable stations along the Norwegian mainland coast. In addition, two genetically distinct types of cod were identified.

**A glacier flows into a fjord on Svalbard. The warming of Arctic waters is increasingly altering living conditions for fish there. (Photo: Heiner Kubny)**

A team from the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (HI), in collaboration with UNIS and UiT The Arctic University of Norway, is now investigating eight glacial fjord areas around Svalbard and Nordaustlandet. The aim is to determine whether these fjords are becoming increasingly important nursery areas for cod.

Warmer water is changing the fjords

This development could be linked to the rapid warming of the region. Atlantic species are spreading further north, whilst nutrient-rich meltwater can boost plankton production in the fjords.

“This stimulates plankton production and creates important nursery grounds for fish larvae,” explains marine scientist Kjell Nedreaas from the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research.

A polar cod (*Boreogadus saida*) seeks shelter in a cavity in the ice. The species is particularly well adapted to the extremely cold conditions of the Arctic seas and plays an important role in the local food web. (Photo: Erling Svensen / Ocean Photo, CC BY 4.0)

In addition to cod, the team is also studying polar cod, zooplankton and jellyfish, as well as temperature, salinity and other oceanographic conditions.

It remains to be seen whether cod will establish themselves in large numbers in Svalbard’s glacial fjords on a permanent basis. However, the observations show how quickly fjords that were once strongly Arctic in character are changing and becoming more attractive to species from the North Atlantic.

Heiner Kubny, PolarJournal