Norwegian fisheries in the Svalbard zone since 1980. Regulations, profitability and warming waters affect landings

Abstract The Svalbard archipelagoin the High Arctic is influenced by cold Arctic water massesfrom the north-east and the warm West Spitsbergen Current flowing northwards along its western coast. The eastern waters and the fjordsare normally frozen during the winter months, while the coastal waters west of the archipelagoremain open. Norwegian fishers have been harvesting from Svalbard waters for decades and detailed records of catches exists from 1980 onwards. We analyze the catch records from the Svalbard zone (approximately ICES area IIb). The large fisheryfor capelinin summer yielding annual catches up to 737 000 tons was closed by a Norwegian fisheryregulation in the mid nineteen nineties. Demersal fisherieshave been continuous, and the results clearly indicate a northward trend in landings of Northeast Arctic cod, haddock, ling and Atlantic halibut. Fisheriesof Northern shrimp have been more variable and shown no clear geographic trends. A “gold rush” fisheryfor scallopsnorth of Svalbard lasted for about 10 years (1986–1995) only, and ended due to low profitably. These results are discussed in relation to the possibility of further northward extension of fisheriessubjected to climate change.