The dominant commercial demersal species in this ecoregion is cod. The cod stock abundance is high and has expanded northward since 2004.
The haddock spawning-stock biomass has been above a safe biological reference point since 1990 and is increasing.
The saithe stock is stable.
The total stock of polar cod is at its lowest abundance level since 1990.
Halibut abundance has slightly increased along the western coast in the Barents Sea region.
Currently, the herring Clupea harengus stock size is half of the average stock size that was present from 1999 to 2013. The amount of young herring entering the Barents Sea has been low in recent years. Capelin stock size has been stable.
The beaked redfish stock is recovering from the low level it was at some years ago. The golden redfish stock size is very low.
Threatened and declining fish species according to OSPAR
Acipenser sturio Sturgeon
Alosa alosa Allis shad
Anguilla anguilla European eel
Cetorhinus maximus Basking shark
Coregonus lavaretus Whitefish
Dipturus batis Common skate
Lamna nasus Porbeagle
Sea lamprey
Raja clavata Thornback ray
Salmo salar Salmon
Squalus acanthias (Northeast Atlantic) spurdog
