In Norway, cod distributions along the Norwegian coast overlap, with coastal cod being assessed separately from cod in the Barents Sea based on genetic differences in the population (Dahle et al. 2018) (Breistein et al. 2022). However, further stock structuring between fjords is very likely, so any smaller stocks and the genetic diversity they represent may be at risk (ICES 2012). Breistein et al. 2022 studied population genetic structure driven by geographic variation in Norwegian coastal cod, reporting a gradient of isolation by distance and greater genetic differentiation of the population from north to south and from the outer fjord to the inner fjord. 

In the 2021 benchmark (ICES 2021), the Norwegian coastal cod stock was split into separate units at 67 degrees latitude: the northern Norwegian coastal cod unit (67º N) (ICES 2021) (ICES 2024) (this profile) and the southern Norwegian coastal cod (between 62ºN and 67ºN) (ICES 2021) (ICES 2024). Around 85% of Norwegian catches are taken north of 67ºN, and it is also in this area that the coastal acoustic trawl survey has the best coverage (ICES 2023). This profile is for northern Norwegian coastal cod (subareas 1 and 2 north of 67ºN).