Ichthyoplankton of Russian Arctic Seas: 1. Polar cod Boreogadus saida

Abstract

The information on the size composition and distribution of the larvae and juveniles of polar cod Boreogadus saida on the shelf of Russian Arctic seas (the Kara Sea, the Laptev Sea, and the East Siberian Sea) is presented for the period of July–September 2015–2017. The larvae and juveniles are widely distributed here, forming the largest accumulations on the continental slopes in the areas least affected by the river runoff. Both seasonal and regional differences are observed in the size composition of the early developmental stages of the polar cod: the juvenile average length increases from summer through autumn and southwards.