WWF in the Arctic: Barents Sea

Overfishing

Overfishing has led to the decline of fish species, changes in marine food webs and fisheries crises in the Barents Sea. The Ecoregion is one of the main areas of commercial fisheries in the world, and fishing is probably the activity currently affecting biodiversity there to the highest degree.

In addition to the decline in targeted fish stocks such as capelin and cod, fisheries also affect other organisms. Bycatch is a serious threat to several species of fish and seabirds, and bottom trawling has devastating effects on benthic communities, such as corals and sponges. In addition, fisheries may have dramatic implications for organisms in other trophic levels as they often affect the abundance and distribution of key species in the ecosystem.

Almost as a rule, regional governments set quotas significantly higher than recommended by scientists. Another tendency is that the increasing capacity of the fisheries demands a steady supply of fish and shows little flexibility to reduce catches when stocks are declining.