| Summary: | The average zooplankton biomass measured in August–September 2006 (8.6 g dry weight/m2) was above the long-term mean (7.14 g dry weight/m2), and has slightly increased since 2001 (5.85 g dry weight/m2). Atlantic water masses contain the highest biomass, stressing the importance of advective transport of zooplankton from the Norwegian Sea, and the favourable higher temperatures in these waters that significantly influences the central and western part of the Barents Sea. The adult capelin stock was still very low in 2006. Other plankton consumers like juvenile cod, capelin, haddock, redfish are important, but particularly young herring, which has been very abundant the last few years, surely influence zooplankton biomass. Additional species such as blue whiting and sandeel, now seem to extend their distribution range in the Barents Sea, hence their predation pressure on zooplankton can be expected to increase. The average zooplankton abundance in 2006 suggests that the conditions for local production is favourable for 2007, and slightly improved with respect to 2006.
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