Genetic studies support the distinctness of different populations of cod in the Atlantic Ocean (Bradbury et al. 2013), with distinct stocks identified in the Barents Sea: NE Arctic and Norwegian coastal waters. There is some overlap over the spawning season on the Norwegian coast but the stocks are assessed by ICES separately as follows: cod in Subareas 1 and 2 (Northeast Arctic cod) and cod in Subareas 1 and 2 (Norwegian coastal waters cod, now divided into two assessment units: between 62 and 67ºN, and north of 67ºN )(ICES 2021)​(ICES 2022)(ICES 2022). Since 2022, however, it is the Joint Russian-Norwegian Working Group on Arctic Fisheries (JRN- AFWG) the organization in charge of the assessments, but it follows ICES approach and its 2021 benchmark (JRN-AFWG 2024). Haddock and saithe are also caught in this fishery. Ontogenetic movements of cod in Arctic fjords and the Barents Sea have been studied (Andrade et al. 2020).