The distribution of deep-water (northern) shrimp appears to have expanded towards the north-east since 2004.
Red king crabs are well established along the mainland Russian and Norwegian coast. The abundance and reproduction rates have declined in recent years, due to a decrease in recruitment rate and high fishing mortality.
The snow crab stock is increasing in the central and eastern Barents Sea, and the biomass is calculated to be ten times higher than the biomass of red king crabs and close to half the biomass of the deep-water shrimp. A commercial fishery has been launched for the species. A further expansion in range westwards towards Svalbard is expected.
Threatened and declining shellfish species according to OSPAR:
Arctica islandica Ocean quahog
Nucella lapillus Dog whelk
