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Abstract:
The Barents Sea time series of abiotic (Water temperature at Kola section (KolaT) and Fugle Bear Island (FBT), areas of Atlantic (AW), Mixed (MW and Arctic (ArW) water masses, maximum ice coverage in April (IceMax), and minimum ice coverage in April (IceMin)) and biotic (Net primary production (NPP), mesoplankton (Plankton), macroplankton (Krill, Jelly, and fish juveniles), fish stocks (capelin, lumpfish, polar cod, cod, haddock, and redfish). Blue and grey means value below the 1980-2016 average and red and pink means above the 1980-2019 average.
The background data were taken from ICES WGIBAR 2020).
Time series clearly shows the «borealization» of the Barents Sea during the period 1980–2019. Increase of temperature (KolaT and FBT), areas occupied by Atlantic and Mixed Water, and decrease of the ice coverage (IceMin and IceMax) and area occupied by Arctic Water, all show a clear trend towards warmer conditions with 2016 as record warm year. Net primary production showed increasing trend also. Boreal species such as cod, lumpfish, redfish, and haddock increased abundance from 1980s to late 2000s as a result of good recruitment and good management during last two decades. Data for biomass calculation were collected during surveys:
More details of each time series are given in the data file.