ICE Fish

Research

Bringing Icelandic fish research to you.

Explore

Latest posts

Key Drivers and Variability in the Timing and Location of Reproductive Potential in Icelandic Cod (Gadus morhua)

November 28, 2025This past summer, Ingibjörg G. Jónsdóttir at the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, along with her co-authors Jón Sólmundsson, Peter J. Wright, William Butler, and Pamela Woods, published a paper in the ICES Journal of Marine Science. The study, titled ‘Key drivers and spatio-temporal variation in the reproductive potential of Icelandic cod’, investigates the roles of total egg production and first year survival ratio (how many one year old cod out of a group survive). To investigate this, data from an annual gillnet survey that has monitored the Icelandic spawning stock (Adult cod that reproduce) across various regions since 1996 were used to assess the reproductive potential of the stock by examining location- and time-variability in egg production and the survival ratio during the first year. Specifically, the study analysed how egg production varied between different spawning regions, how changes in female age diversity and mean length influenced it, and whether the survival ratio had changed. Figure represents sampling location during the annual gillnet survey. The colours define the Atlantic cod spawning regions. What are the main findings? The main findings show a general increase in total egg production, which mirrors the rise in spawning stock biomass. This increase in egg production was most pronounced in Breiðafjörður and Faxaflói. At the same time, a decrease was observed in the slope east of Vestmannaeyjar, where the number of spawning cod has declined substantially. However, the survival of the cod in their first year has decreased, especially since 2010. This suggests that even though more eggs are produced, a lower proportion survives. It is unclear what causes this, but it may result from increased density-dependent mortality (a higher number of deaths due to how crowded the population is). It is interesting to the public because it indicates that having more parents (a larger stock) does not automatically mean more offspring survive to adulthood. Figure represents: (A) The number of 1-year-old cod found during the yearly groundfish survey in March. (B) The survival ratio, which is the number of 1-year-old cod in March divided by TEP. (C) How TEP is related to the number of 1-year-old cod. (D) How is TEP related to the survival ratio? The horizontal lines in panels (A) and (B) show the average values. The numbers in panels (C) and (D) show the year of each group. Who should read this research? This research is important for a variety of audiences. Fisheries managers and policymakers can use these findings to understand the complex factors affecting cod stock. For the scientific community, the research provides valuable insight for marine biologists and ecologists interested in population dynamics and the effects of density dependence. This paper can also serve as a useful case study for students learning key concepts in fisheries science. Finally, the research is relevant to the general public, especially those interested in fishing and the marine environment. What could future follow-up studies look like? Future studies could investigate the specific causes of the increased mortality, such as competition for food or increased predation in areas with high densities of young cod. Researchers might also examine how ocean currents may be carrying eggs and larvae from high-production areas to less favourable environments. Additionally, more complex models could be used to predict how the stock will behave under different environmental conditions and management scenarios. Why is it important that this research was carried out, and is there value in this research beyond academia? This research is important because it highlights that long-term health depends on a resilient stock structure and variable spawning areas, which are crucial for ensuring successful recruitment. It provides a critical tool for sustainable fisheries management by identifying that the distribution of spawning effort across different regions and the resulting egg production are important for recruitment. This understanding helps to ensure the long-term health and productivity of the cod stock, which is vital for the Icelandic economy. Link to paper: https://academic.oup.com/icesjms/article/82/7/fsaf128/8213717 [...] Read more...

Bottom trawling gear and its impact on the seafloor

November 13, 2025Bottom trawling is harmful to life on the ocean floor. Many people agree with this. But we still need to learn more about how and why it causes damage. Mason Kenny wanted to better understand the impact of bottom trawling gear on the seafloor. During his Master’s in Environmental and Natural Resources at The University of Iceland he dived into this. He worked together with the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (Hafró). There he got help from Pamela Woods, Haraldur Einarsson, and Sveinn Agnarsson. They gave the opportunity to participate in the Optigear project. Through this project he got to investigate the interaction between fishing gear and the seafloor. What is bottom trawling? Bottom trawling is a fishing method where large nets, held open by heavy metal doors and weighted with chains, are dragged directly across the seafloor to catch bottom-dwelling fish (see figure below). Studies have shown that this fishing practice has a major negative effect on plants and animals living near and on the bottom of the ocean. Bottom trawling stirs up sediment (solid material at the bottom of the ocean) by dragging big nets and heavy chains along the bottom and destroys the natural seafloor habitat. For example, it tears up plant roots and collapses animal burrows (tunnel or holes that animals dig to hide in). Sediment will start floating in the water which will block light from the plants on the ocean floor which is needed for them to grow. Left: Bottom trawl. Credit: NOAA. Right: The chains of the vessel that are dragged with the net over the ocean floor. Impact on the seafloor depended on ship’s speed and sediment type Mason focussed on real-world vessel specific trawling data. This data included, for example, the distance between the bottom trawling net and the sea floor. As well as the tension on the wires that connect the net to the boat. This can give information on how the gear interacts with the seafloor and how the bottom substrate affects bottom trawling. First, he mapped and classified the sediment on the ocean floor. He did this using grab samples, which is a sample of sediment at a specific location. He categorised the sediment classes into average grain sizes. Then he built a new substrate map for the Icelandic waters (see below). This is helpful for future research to be more precise when looking into the interactions of the trawling gear with the seafloor. A map of Iceland that shows the different substrates (coloured areas) and the location of the grab samples. Sediment classification is indicated by colour. He then looked at how different aspects of bottom trawling affected the gear and how that impacts the seafloor. He found that the speed of the fishing boat has an impact on tension imbalance of the trawling net. This imbalance will have a negative impact on the seafloor. His findings showed that a speed below 4.6 km/h resulted in the highest instability, while at a speed above 6.4 km/h it stabilised. So, a slower boat does more damage. He also found that the kind of substrate on the seafloor affected the imbalance. Coarser substrate (bigger than 10 mm) decreased the imbalance by 22%. This is because these types of sediment give greater resistance to the net and make the gear more stable. Bottom trawling has more impact than we expected Mason’s results also show that bottom trawling can be a hidden driver of ocean carbon release that is stored in seafloor sediment. Our oceans are the largest natural carbon sink on the planet, absorbing and storing more carbon than any other system on Earth. As mentioned before, the dragging of heavy nets, doors, and chains along the seabed stirs up the sediments which will start floating in the water. With this sediment the carbon gets released as well. And as you might know, carbon release is a major driver of climate change. This figure below shows how bottom trawling disturbs the seafloor and releases carbon (CO2) into the ocean: This research is important as it can help to inform fisheries on how to improve their gear design, so unnecessary seabed damage can be avoided. Bottom trawling is one of the most widespread human disturbances on the seafloor but there is not a lot of research that have put this disturbance into numbers. This study is a first step to show fisheries and policy makers how we can begin to lessen trawling’s impact. Looking into the future This research was a big undertaking but there is so much more that can be done. Mason looked into data from a certain type of ship, so this work can be widened to other types of ships and their gear to see how they impact the seafloor. Furthermore, to really see how the fish are impacted this study can be synchronised with Afladagbók catch logs that can link the bottom trawling gear with biological outcomes. This study that Mason Kenny set out to do is part of a bigger project, the Optigear project. This project sets out to increase efficiency in trawling fisheries. It is a project funded under European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme MarineGuardian (Grant agreement ID: 101212608). [...] Read more...

Meet Kolbeinn: Curious Explorer Of The Marine World

November 7, 2025If you ask Kolbeinn what drives him as a scientist, he’ll tell you it’s curiosity and exploration. Those two words weave through everything he does — from his fascination with marine life to his love of art, music, and nature. Currently pursuing his master’s studies at the University of Iceland, Kolbeinn is diving into the world of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). His research focuses on the depth distribution, age, and growth of 0-group (juvenile) Atlantic cod following benthic settlement in Seyðisfjörður, Iceland. It’s an important stage in the cod’s life, one that helps scientists better understand early survival and habitat use — key pieces of the puzzle in marine ecology and fisheries management. Photos feature Kolbeinn collecting juvenile cod from beach seine tows for data sampling The Scientist Behind the Research When asked what he wanted to be growing up, Kolbeinn replied: “Something creative but something in nature as well — maybe a shaman or a witch.” That mix of creativity and connection to the natural world has clearly stayed with him. He says curiosity and exploration are still his greatest sources of motivation, and he’s drawn to biology because it lets him explore both the mystery and the mechanics of life. Favourite Fish Kolbeinn couldn’t choose just one — and honestly, we don’t blame him. “Either Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) or Whale shark (Rhincodon typus), mostly because they are both very cute.” That appreciation for marine life carries through to his work and his outlook on nature. He admits to preferring marine ecosystems “slightly more than freshwater because it is bigger and feels more primordial.” Photo features Kolbeinn holding a female lumpfish caught from a fyke net Either / Or: Quickfire Round Freshwater or marine? Marine — it’s vast and ancient. Fieldwork or labwork? Both! Especially when part of the same project — he loves seeing the full process from start to finish. Coffee or tea? Tea — preferably herbal, since caffeine hardly affects him at all. Summer or winter? Winter person at heart, though he appreciates the seasonal change. Big international or small national conferences? Small national ones — a great chance to hear about friends’ projects and exchange ideas. The Joys (and Challenges) of Research Life For Kolbeinn, one of the best parts of being a scientist is the community: “People driven by curiosity and exploration, and the willingness to work together and learn.” He’s only recently begun his master’s degree, but already feels “more fully immersed into the scientific community and lifestyle — more than it just feeling like school.” That sense of belonging and shared curiosity is what keeps him motivated.Of course, there are challenges too…. “Just not finding the time to do everything that I would want, but that’s usually what I say about anything I’m interested in.” Advice for Future Scientists Kolbeinn’s advice to aspiring scientists is simple and heartfelt: “Be curious and follow your passions. I, for instance, watch a lot of biology documentaries and YouTube videos in my downtime — that helps.” He also encourages students to step outside their comfort zones: “Try to take the extra step of talking to other people and be social. Your fellow students are somehow both incredibly interesting and very interested in what you have to say, which is great.” Photo features Kolbeinn assisting with other projects at the University of Iceland, Research Centre of the Westfjords Beyond the Lab When he’s not thinking about cod, Kolbeinn channels his curiosity into creativity. He loves writing, music, drawing, and cooking, and finds that his passion for biology actually fuels those creative outlets — and vice versa. [...] Read more...

Writing a master’s thesis in Iceland – Sadie’s experie

October 31, 2025Last year we introduced you to Sadie Ainsworth, her favourite fish (Westslope cutthroat trout), and her journey from growing up in Canada with a supercool hello kitty phone to studying her master’s in the Icelandic Westfjords. Back then, Sadie had just started her thesis looking at salmon in Iceland (https://icefishresearch.com/saidie-ainsworth-from-hello-kitty-to-iceland/). A lot has happened since then and we are happy to announce that Saidie successfully defended her thesis in September. We now had a chance to catch up with her and find out how her thesis experience was from beginning to defense. How was the experience with your master thesis? “As I type this question, I’m smiling a bit because if you were to have asked me this question while working on this thesis, my answer would have been drastically different depending on the day and time you asked me. But now that I am done, all I can say is amazing!” Did the thesis/project turn out how you first imagined it in your thesis proposal? “When I first started the project, I didn’t really know what to expect. I had never done any genetic work previously. And when my advisor first sent me papers we were going to base the thesis off of, I remember having to reread the papers over and over again to even understand what they were doing. This led to a rather big learning curve when first starting my project which in a way was great since I was still figuring out what would be possible to complete in my timeframe. With that said, after getting more into the project, my ambitions quickly exceeded what was feasible.” What were the main results of your thesis? And what were the steps to get there (i.e. fieldwork, labwork etc.) “The main objective of the thesis was to get a baseline of the genetic predisposition of the maturation timing in wild Atlantic salmon by genotyping two major effect loci. In order to do this, I needed finclip samples, which I was able to get by participating in fieldwork in addition to accessing samples archived from the Icelandic research company Lakfiskar. After fieldwork was complete, it was time for the labwork, where the DNA was extracted and analyzed.” In our last post, you mentioned that besides fish & science, your favourite things are going for bike rides with friends and enjoying some self-made sandwiches while soaking in a good hot pot. Did you still find time for these things next to your thesis? “Lets just say, next summer is going to be really really fun since I have double the bikerides, soaks, and sandwiches to eat.” Is there something that you would have liked to know before starting your thesis? Do you have some recommendations for future master students? “The biggest challenge that I faced when working on my thesis was when it came to the data analysis portion. This has never been my strength, so I wasn’t surprised when I struggled with the analysis but I was taken aback by how much my frustration got in the way of motivating me to consistently work on the thesis. My recommendation would be to form a group of other students to work on your thesis. That way you are held accountable to work and can ask each other questions. I think I would have really benefited from having consistent peer motivation.” How did you prepare and experience your thesis defense? “Once your defense comes around, you know the material so well and are so excited to talk about it that I honestly believe the best way to prepare is just trying to mitigate the nerves. For this, the best thing I think you can do is practice in front of your friends and ask them if your presentation makes sense to someone who has never heard your research before. And then make sure to drink your coffee with them the morning of your presentation, so you’re not just a nervous wreck alone!” What does your life post-defense look like and what are your next steps? “Right now, I am living and working in Ísafjörður. Currently, I am taking the time to appreciate a schedule where I am not balancing work and school. I am not sure what’s next, but I have been keeping my eye out for opportunities to continue working in fisheries.” What is your favourite memory of your thesis project? “My favorite memory is when I first showed up to data collection, I had driven from Ísafjörður to Selárdalur, arriving at around 8:00 pm coming from my closing shift at heimabyggð. I’m pretty sure I ate a cinnamon roll for dinner. When I arrived at the house, everyone said “Are you ready?”. And I was like yes of course! But what I didn’t realize was that we were starting sampling at midnight and would be finishing early the next morning. It was October so of course it was pitch black when we started but the Northern lights were out the whole night, and here I was, walking the entire length of the rivers looking for fish to catch with two people I had just met. I just loved the whole thing!” As you can see, doing a master’s thesis is often not a straightforward process. It can come with steep learning curves and frustrating moments of trying to analyse your data, but it will also allow you to explore exciting topics and learn new tools and approaches. Doing research and writing a thesis can be a rollercoaster of emotions between stressing about deadlines and the beauty of small moments and big achievements. If you ask Sadie, it is important to keep your friends close during your thesis, both for the motivation and support to keep on working but also to help you calm those nerves before the big day of your thesis defense. We would like to congratulate Sadie again on defending her thesis on an exciting research project! We wish her all the best for the next steps and can’t wait where her path will lead her! If you have more questions about the process of doing a thesis or if you want to hear more tips and tricks, let us know! [...] Read more...

Let’s micro-CT scan some fish heads

October 8, 2025As I’m writing this, it is the last week of my five and a half weeks stay at the Benedikt Hallgrímson lab (https://hallgrimssonlab.ca/) at the University of Calgary in Alberta Canada. They specialize in genetic morphometric analysis exploring complex traits in zebrafish, mice, and humans. However, I’m here to micro-CT scan some Arctic charrs. Maybe some of you have seen a CT scanner in person, or just in the movies. These huge machines that look a little bit like doughnuts that take up an entire room. Micro-CT scanners are a bit different, for starters they are smaller and often are just big boxes instead of having that doughnut shape. Picture of the micro-CT scanner I was using. It’s a big machine but not as big as the scanner they have in the hospitals How I scan the fish Micro-CT scanning fish has been an interesting process. Here I will briefly go over my work protocol. The first step is to put the fish in a chemical solution. We must do this so the fish will be stiff during the scanning itself. Fish generally have to stay in the solution for around a week before they are ready to scan. This chemical solution is made with formalin, which is a dangerous chemical, therefore whenever I was working, I had to wear a lab coat, gloves and mask for safety. When working with dangerous chemicals it’s extremely important to protect yourself The scanner I was using came with a sample holder where I had to put the fish in. However, no part of the fish was allowed to touch the sample holder directly. I had to wrap up the fish in foamed plastics, so they ended up looking like little fish burritos. After this I put the fish in the holder, then placed the holder in the scanner. Made sure all the settings were correct and then it was ready for scanning. My little “fish burritos” are then placed in the sample holder. After which the sample holders are placed in the scanner As I needed to have very good resolution on my scans they needed to run for a long time. My longest scans were around three hours, for just one fish. Thankfully, the scanner I was using allows you to scan in batches, so I could prepare multiple fish which could then be scanned over the night while I was sleeping. Once all of this was over, I ended up with some super cool scans of the fish heads. I will then use these scans to study how the shape differences (in 3D) between Arctic charr morphs and age classes. Over my five and a half weeks I scanned over 80 fish The final product are these lovely 3D scans of the Arctic charr skull Important to take breaks Even though I came to Calgary to work. Having a healthy work life balance is very important. One of the important things during research visits is to meet other researchers and see how other labs (and Universities) do their research. But it is also important to be a bit of a tourist and explore the city/country you are visiting. For example, going to museums or hiking around in the natural parks around the area. Image on left: Skull of a Dunkleosteus, at the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Image on left: Rawson Lake in Kananaskis Country [...] Read more...

Dive Surveys Alongside Beach Seining Help Locate Young Atlantic Cod and Saithe in Shallow Coastal Areas

September 19, 2025 What are fish nursery grounds? Nursery grounds are places where young fish find food, favourable temperature and protection from predators during their early life stages. Different species of fish, including Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and saithe (Pollachius virens) juveniles, settle in nearshore areas at different times and depths, depending for example on the timing of spawning and oceanographic conditions. These nursery areas are important for helping young fish survive and grow so they can support future fish stocks. What is the study about? The study focused on the shallow coastal waters in the fjords of northwest Iceland. These areas have a variety of habitats, from gravel beaches to rocky and algae-covered zones. Traditionally, scientists have used beach seines—long nets pulled in from the shore—to catch small fish and measure their numbers. While useful, this method cannot cover areas that are deeper or very rocky. In this study, the researchers combined beach seining with scuba diving surveys. Divers swam along set paths underwater and counted the number of young cod and saithe they saw at different depths. This approach provided a clearer picture of where fish were living and how those patterns evolved throughout the summer. What did they find? Overall, the researchers observed clear differences in timing and depth use between cod and saithe. Saithe settled earlier in the summer. They were most common in shallow spots, especially where algae grew close to the shore. As the summer progressed, their numbers in these areas decreased. Cod settled later than saithe, but they stayed in shallow areas longer. They were seen both in dives and caught with beach seines in late summer, suggesting that cod rely on these nurseries for a longer time. Cod were also found across a wider depth range, although most stayed in waters shallower than 10 meters. The study also showed that young cod often appeared in bigger groups earlier in the summer and later were seen as more scattered individuals. This change may reflect a shift in behavior from shoaling to more solitary living as they grow. Importantly, both beach seining and diving revealed that during the study period, only cod and saithe utilized these shallow fjord nursery areas—no other closely related species were found. Why is this important? This research helps explain how two important commercial fish species utilize Iceland’s shallow waters during their early life stages. Cod and saithe are vital for Iceland’s fishing industry and local ecosystems. Understanding when and where these juvenile fish settle provides knowledge that can be used to manage fish stocks and protect key habitats. Because beach seine nets are not effective in all places, dive surveys added new insights. For example, divers could record fish in rocky and algae-rich habitats where nets would not work. This filled a knowledge gap beyond what standard surveys usually capture. Protecting nursery grounds is essential because survival at this stage significantly influences the number of fish that will reach adulthood and become part of the population that supports fishing. What future research can be done? While this study filled some important gaps, more work remains. Future studies could: Use genetic tools to separate different ecotypes of cod, since it is known that some live closer to shore while others are further offshore. Track changes over more years to see how climate and water temperature affect settlement patterns. Combine dive surveys with new tracking technology for a fuller picture of how small fish move. By building on this work, scientists can better predict how young cod and saithe survive in their first year of life and how healthy populations for the future can be supported. Access full scientific article here: https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71674 [...] Read more...

What swims between the algae of the rocky intertidal zone?

August 22, 2025What swims between the algae of the rocky intertidal zone? You can find a very lively ecosystem in the rocky intertidal zones along Iceland‘s coastlines. One highly abundant species using this habitat is the brown algae Ascophyllum nodosum, also commonly known as knotted wrack in English and Klóþang in Icelandic. This species is harvested for multiple purposes such as food or fertilizers. But what can we find swimming between the algae and are there differences between harvested and unharvested areas? This is a question Jón Tomas Magnússon and colleagues have addressed. But first things first, what do we mean by rocky intertidal zones? Generally, the intertidal zone lies between the lowest point the water edge reaches during low tide, and the highest one during high tide. Species in this habitat have to adapt to rapidly changing environments throughout the tidal cycles where they can go from fully under water to mostly dry. But this habitat can also serve as important area for juvenile fish who use it as nursery grounds, seeking shelter in rockpools, between rocks, or underneath algae. In their recently published study “Icelandic intertidal fish communities and effects of knotted wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum) harvesting”, Jón and colleagues placed multi-mesh nets in the rocky intertidal area of Breiðafjörður for full tidal cycles to document what fish are caught moving into or out of the intertidal. They first set up this system in June 2019 before the harvest and then repeated it once per season until June 2020. The collected information on what species are present. Among the fish species that they caught in the nets were the commercially highly important cod (Gadus morhua) and saithe (Pollachius virens) who use the rocky intertidal as nursery and feeding grounds. While the results currently show no significant impact of the harvesting activities on the observed fish, the authors point out that this was a very small-scale study. Knowing how our activities, in this case the harvesting of knotted wrack, can impact commercially important species especially in their most vulnerable juvenile stages is crucial. Jón Tomas hopes that future studies will follow that will continue to monitor the potential impacts on the fish in the rocky intertidal zone across a bigger region as well as over multiple years. If you are interested to read more, especially when you are curious about the impacts of seaweed harvesting and the ecology of intertidal fish, find out more here. [...] Read more...

Where are the baby Brown trout and Arctic charr?

August 5, 2025 Nursery grounds are habitats mainly used by juvenile (baby) fish. As the name suggests these habitats are like nurseries for fish. Nursery grounds are very important for the fish species using them. Since they provide protection and food for the young. Therefore, knowing where they are and how they are holding up is important. If a nursery ground is destroyed or not usable anymore that would be terrible for the fishes using them. The the search begins Last year researchers from the University of Iceland and the Marine and Freshwater Institute published a paper in the Icelandic journal Náttúrufræðingurinn. In that paper they looked at nursery grounds of Brown trout and Arctic charr in lake Þingvallavatn and neighbouring rivers. They used two datasets in the paper. One dataset was collected by researchers at the Marine and Freshwater Institute. They did regular surveys on trout and charr nursery grounds in lake Þingvallavatn and neighbouring rivers from 2000 to 2021. The other dataset was collected during the summer of 2022, by researchers at the University of Iceland. The data was collected using electrofishing. A fishing technique using electricity to shock the fish and then catch it with a net. Electrofishing does not kill or harm the fish. So, a researcher can catch a fish, measure it and then set it free. And what did they find? The results showed that the two species use different nursery grounds. Brown trout mainly uses the shallows of the rivers. Which is expected since trout mainly spawn in the rivers. On the other hand, Arctic charr juveniles were mainly found in shallow waters along the shoreline of lake Þingvallavatn. Often close to known charr spawning sites. Adult trout and charr are found in deeper water. During the early 2000s Brown trout fry were released into the lake. This was to increase the population size. Which was very low at that time. According to this study the releases appeared to have work. The amount of juvenile trout has increased in the last 20 years. However, Arctic charr numbers have stayed the same (neither increasing nor decreasing). The researchers also looked at the differences between habitats. They found that it was more likely to find fish if the shoreline had vegetation on it. Anyone interested to know more can access the article here: https://natturufraedingurinn.is/uppeldissvaedi-laxfiska-i-thingvallavatni-og-tengdum-am/ The article is in Icelandic. However, a short abstract as well as figure and table text are provided in English. [...] Read more...

Meet Einar Pétur Jónsson

June 12, 2025 This week, we’re excited to introduce Einar Pétur Jónsson, a PhD candidate and fish researcher at the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (MFRI). Einar is passionate about marine biology and has a deep curiosity for how life responds to environmental change. Meet Einar Einar’s favorite fish is the spotted wolffish, and when asked to choose between the lab and the field, his answer is enthusiastic: fieldwork! He prefers tea over coffee, and when it comes to seasons, he enjoys whichever one shows up with full force. As for conferences, Einar favors national ones—they throw the best parties. What Does He Study? Einar’s research focuses on how organisms respond to environmental changes. “Right now,” he says, “we are doing experiments to see how capelin responds to a warming ocean.” It’s a topic that’s not only timely, but also crucial to understanding the future of marine ecosystems. Inspiration & Motivation What inspired Einar to pursue science? “Teachers, colleagues, circumstances, and the effects we are having on our environment.” He knew from a young age that he wanted to be a biologist and a football player. Science eventually won, and he hasn’t looked back. The best part of being a scientist? “To be able to direct my attention on the interesting parts of our world and try to steer as close to the truth as possible.” Advice for Students Einar has a mantra for anyone thinking of going into science—or any challenging pursuit:“Keep it fun, nurture your interest, and read lots.” This advice has carried him through his studies, including his favorite part of the PhD—diving for sea urchins—and the less exciting parts like paperwork and email. What’s Next? Looking ahead, Einar hopes to continue doing what he loves: staying curious, exploring the world, and sharing what he learns. [...] Read more...

12 months in the life of a scientist

June 6, 2025 Last week we shared ICE Fish research’s first anniversary. 1 year of sharing exciting fish research & fun facts with you, diving deeper into the person “behind” the scientist, & coming up with many more ideas for this science communication platform. A lot can happen in one year. But what can one year mean for a scientist? In the spring of 2024, Alessandra, Lieke, Michelle, and Theresa got to take part in a science communication workshop led by Anaïs Remili and organised by VistIs where the idea of ICE fish research initially sparked. Throughout the last year you got some glimpses into our personal academic journeys, but let’s check, what has happened over the past 12 months? Theresa: It has been a busy 12 months for Theresa. After five years in the making, she submitted her PhD thesis on European flounder in Iceland in October and successfully defended it in January. Three of her four PhD chapters have already been published (we introduced 2 of them on ICE Fish Research see here & here). Between finalising her PhD thesis throughout the summer of 2024, she was busy packing up her life and saying many goodbyes as a new adventure was waiting around the corner. In September she exchanged life in northwest Iceland for living at the Mediterranean Sea in southern Spain, having to adjust from wearing multiple layers on a day-to-day basis to learning the value of 50+ sunscreen. Leaving the flounder research behind (for now), she joined the IRIS lab at the Estación Experimental de Zónas Aridas (CSIC) in Almería, where she continues her work in invasion science. Besides wrapping up her PhD and starting her postdoc position in Spain, she also attended the Neobiota conference in Lisbon, Portugal in September, co-lead the Nordic symposium for biodiversity across the natural and social sciences in Trondheim, Norway in October and attended workshops in invasion culturomics and social dimensions of naturalised alien flora (SoNAF) in Pruhonice, Czech Republic in February. Alessandra: Much has happened in the past year for Alessandra. In October 2024 Alessandra was part of a unique networking opportunity upon the RRS Sir David Attenborough, where she gained first hand insight into the workings on a state of the art research vessel fit to sail the polar oceans. After submitting her PhD thesis in February, she then presented her work and represented ICE Fish Research at the national OIKOS conference in Finland. Alessandra then took a one month vacation in India to recharge her batteries for her defence which she passed with flying colours this past May. Currently she is working on publishing the manuscripts from her PhD thesis as well as applying for funding to continue her research in Iceland. In the coming months Alessandra will focus on producing the new ICE Fish Research podcast for which she will sit down with fish researchers across the country. Lieke: Since the beginning of ICE Fish Research, Lieke has been busy working on her PhD. She is writing her second and third chapters which involve acoustic telemetry (read more about it here!). This is a new area for her, so a lot of the time she has been learning how to work with this data, and results are slowly coming in. Very exciting! Furthermore, in the autumn of 2024 she was teaching a cartography class for bachelor and master students at the University of Iceland. This year is looking a little different but much was accomplished. At the beginning of 2025, she was awarded a PhD grant from Rannís as an extension for her PhD as well as a grant from Reykjavík Energy to study the impact of Nesjavellir waste water on Arctic charr behaviour. This, however, has to wait a bit, as earlier this year her daughter was born and she is currently on maternity leave. She is looking forward to working on her projects again starting in mid September but for now will enjoy all the baby cuddles! Michelle: Michelle completed her fieldwork last summer and is now in the process of compiling her papers for her PhD. In addition to her main research, she submitted two side project papers—one of which is under peer review and is based on an interdisciplinary workshop called Cod Construction and Communities while the other has been accepted for publication and includes dive survey data from her Masters Thesis. Last year, she traveled to South Africa to attend an international conference and volunteered at the South African Shark Conservation Academy (SASC). Earlier this year, she began preliminary fieldwork for her postdoctoral research on Atlantic cod as part of the CodSpa Nordforsk project grant (find out more here). Currently, she is finishing up her first PhD manuscript and is looking forward to presenting her findings at an international conference later this month in Tokyo, Japan. [...] Read more...

Introducing Guðbjörg the newest member of Ice Fish Research

April 4, 2025Hello, my name is Guðbjörg and I’m a new member of Ice Fish Research. I was born and raised in Iceland. Currently I’m working on my PhD in Biology at the University of Iceland where I research diversity in Arctic charr. Wait, doesn’t everyone love natural science? I was never going to be a biologist. As a kid I wanted to be a teacher, occupational therapist or an actress that also directed movies and wrote novels in her spare time. I have always had a great interest in nature and I’m very curious. Biology was always my favourite subject in school, I collected dinosaur books, haunted for bugs and sticklebacks and loved watching nature documentaries. I just never put two and two together, that I may want to be a scientist. Then one day in menntaskóli (Icelandic high school) when I was stressing over the fact that I had no idea what to do after graduation. I was informed that I was the only one of my classmates that found biology fun. That’s when I finally put two and two together. As a result, I applied for the undergraduate program in biology and have not looked back since. My Research I started working with the Arctic charr five years ago when I started my masters project. Where I examined differences in the shape of skull bones between Arctic charr morphs in Þingvallavatn. Many questions arose during that project which later became my PhD project. I wanted to explore further the great diversity within the Arctic charr. To see how populations have adapted to their environments. Which populations are the closest to the ancestor and which are most different? Right now, I’m researching diversity between (and within) Icelandic Arctic charr morphs. Focusing on the shape of skull bones and number of teeth. I should have all my samples, now it’s just analysing them. About me When I’m not working, I like creating art whether it’s painting, drawing, writing or cross stitching (all good for mindfulness). I also enjoy hiking and other outdoor activities. Finally, I like hanging out with friends (especially if board games are involved). Ice Fish Research I have always found that science communication is very important. So, I was very proud of Alessandra, Lieke, Michelle and Theresa when they founded Ice Fish Research about a year ago. Now I am so thankful and feel honoured that they invited me to be a part of this initiative. Thank you. Learn more about me What is your favourite fish? Arctic charr What is your research topic? Parallel evolution, plasticity and developmental origins of adaptive craniofacial traits in Arctic charr. Where do you work? The University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland What inspired your research? I’m honestly just very intrigued by evolutionary processes, how biodiversity arises and how organisms adapted. The Arctic charr just happens to be a good species for these types of questions. What is your favorite part of being a scientist? This is a bit of a hard question. There are so many fun parts of being a scientist. I’m a pretty curious person and have always liked solving difficult problems. After all the work of collecting the samples, measuring them and doing all the calculations you finally have an answer. Normally the answer isn’t even that striking, there is just something so fun about this “eureka” moment. How would you explain a scientist to a child? Scientists are a bit like a detective, trying to solve or understand the great mysteries of the world. How would you explain your research to a child? I look at the skulls of Arctic charr and compare fish that live in different places and eat different prey/food. [...] Read more...

The tale of the founder flounder

March 14, 2025Have you ever wondered where the flounder found in Iceland has come from? It is well known that alien European flounder has been officially documented in Icelandic waters in 1999. For a long time, the question remained where the flounder came from. Over the years, people have debated whether the flounder came from the Faroe Islands or from the coasts of western Europe. Now Theresa Henke and colleagues have published a study where they took a closer look at the origin of flounder. To do this, they followed the methods used in a study from 2007 that had shown a genetic difference between flounder in the Faroe Islands and other European populations. In the summers of 2020 and 2021, Theresa collected flounder samples all around Iceland. Comparing them to the data from the earlier study showed: European flounder found in Iceland likely arrived from the Faroe Islands. One answer and many new questions This study has answered a big question in the case of flounder in Iceland. But as it often is the case in research, it has also opened up many new ones. Even though we now know where the flounder came from, we still don‘t know how it arrived from the Faroe Islands (400 km from southeast Iceland): Did the flounder swim to Iceland? Was the flounder accidentally brought over to Iceland by boats? And does this even matter? It does. Right now, European flounder in Iceland is classified as a potentially invasive, alien species in Iceland. The definition of an alien species, according to the recent IPBES report (read more here), is a species that was introduced because of human activity. If the flounder arrived in Iceland by itself without the help of humans,it would not be an alien species based on this definition. There is no definite answer to this question yet, but we hope future research will provide one. Read more about this discussion in the paper! For now, Theresa and her co-authors suggest to keep the classification with a little addition. By adding the term “polyvectic” the classification points out that there are more than one potential ways how the flounder has arrived and that it is still unsure which one is correct. What about the hybrids? This study did not only find out where the flounder came from, it also showed that there are hybrids between flounder and the native European plaice. When, in this case, two different fish species produce an offspring, it is called a hybrid. When flounder and plaice live in the same area, you can often find hybrids, such as in the Baltic Sea. But this is the first time that these hybrids have been officially documented in Iceland. Read the full study on the tale of the founder flounder here. [...] Read more...

The CODSPA Project: Studying Cod Spawning Across Nordic Countries

March 6, 2025A new international research project called CODSPA has just begun. The project aims to study how stress affects cod reproduction during spawning season. Researchers from Norway, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands are working together on this important study. What is CODSPA? CODSPA stands for Cod Spawning Project. It will run from 2025 to 2028 and is funded by NordForsk, an organization that supports Nordic research cooperation. The project leader is Marco Vindas, and the team includes scientists from various universities and research centers across the Nordic countries. The official website link about the project and participants can be found here: https://www.nmbu.no/en/research/projects/codspa Why is this research important? There’s a debate about whether fishing should be limited during cod spawning season to protect the fish population. Different countries have different approaches to this issue. The CODSPA project will help scientists understand if closing certain areas to fishing during spawning season is effective in protecting cod populations. CODSPA Workshop Last week, Guðbjörg Ásta Ólafsdóttir and Michelle Valliant from the University of Iceland, Research Centre of the Westfjords, met fellow team members in person at the Marine Research Institute in Austevoll in the west coast of Norway. During the workshop, they learned and practiced with the other members the techniques that will be used to collect samples. What will the researchers do? The team will use several methods to study the effect of stress and reproduction in cod: Collect water samples to study DNA from spawning fish that have been in the area, using a technique called environmental DNA Take blood and mucus samples from the fish Gather eggs and sperm from cod Check the quality of the eggs and sperm Check the quality of the eggs and sperm Study cod brain tissue They’ll use this information to study how stress from fishing activities affects cod spawning, egg fertilization, hatching, and the growth of young cod. What‘s next? The first season of data collection will start soon, as wild Atlantic cod in Norway, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands begin their annual spawning this coming spring. The results of this study will help fisheries managers make better decisions about protecting cod populations while supporting sustainable fishing practices. [...] Read more...

The human perspective of fisheries – Meet Sandra Rybicki

February 13, 2025The human perspective of fisheries – Meet Sandra Rybicki The human perspective Can we really understand and protect nature without looking at the role humans play in it? Can we regulate and manage fisheries without knowing how these are shaped by local traditions, what values they hold for local communities, and how people depend on them to provide livelihoods and food security? These are some of the questions that have shaped the research interests of Sandra Rybicki, a scientist at the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute working on the relationships between environmental changes, sustainability, fisheries, and human communities. In her research, she combines ecological data with socio-economic perspectives to explore the effect of climate change and impacts due to human activity on marine and freshwater resources. Her work is driven by interdisciplinary collaboration, the engagement of stakeholders in the research, as well as science communication. From fields and forest to lakes and oceans Growing up in a small village in Germany surrounded by fields and forests, Sandra has alwas had a great connection to nature. But the wild and vast character of the oceans, full of unanswered questions took this fascination of nature to another level. This can be seen in her scientific journey, from taking a course on cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) that got her initially hooked on the topic to now being based in Iceland where she actively contributes to the development of sustainable solutions that balance conservation, resource management, and cultural resilience in Icelandic fisheries. Additionally, she has been sharing her knowledge and experience as a supervisor and mentor in the GRÓ-FTP program and, in turn, she got to learn from her students about Indonesian and African ecosystems, including lakes, inland aquaculture, and the dynamic connection of small-scale fisheries and sciences in these regions. All of these experiences combined have shaped her perspective that the nature of fisheries research and management goes beyond species and catch numbers and should work for the people who rely on these resources while also protecting the ecosystems that sustain them. Understanding the human perspectives will help us move beyond one-size-fits-all-conservation models and instead help us develop solutions that consider both ecological sustainability and social well-being. On being a scientist Sandra truly enjoys being a scientist, especially the parts of the job where she gets to step away from the desk and on board of boats to do some hands-on work. In her opinion, being a scientist is so much more than a lab coat and published papers. Being a scientist means always learning new things, adapting to different situations and working with others, whether this is with other scientists, policy makers, or local communities. Doing research should not just be about collecting data, it should rather be about understanding the bigger picture. She also highlights that a key part of doing science is communication. After all, science is not just done when the research is done, the collected results and insights need to be communicated and made available in an easily understandable way to other scientists, to policy makers, to stakeholder groups as well as the general public. As an advice for future PhD students, Sandra points out that a PhD is never just about the research and becoming an expert. It is about the skills that you develop along the way, whether that is learning that setbacks and unexpected results are not failures or learning to step back to see the bigger picture. Choose a topic that truly excites you. Passion and curiosity will keep you motivated during the tough moments, and the best work comes when you genuinely enjoy what you’re exploring. [...] Read more...

People and the sea – Meet Catherine Chambers

February 7, 2025 Iceland is a country that has a long history deeply interwoven with the ocean ever since the first settlers crossed over from Norway. In many ways, the sea has shaped Iceland’s society as we know it. So when we talk about fish and fisheries in Iceland, we also have to talk about the role humans play. In the words of Nobel prize winning researcher Dr. Elinor Ostrom on fisheries management: we are not managing fish, we are managing people. This connection between people and the sea is also the driving thought of Catherine Chambers, a scientist based in the Westfjords. The red thread Catherine is a scientist with a lot of different research interests. She describes her scientific journey as a very twisty and turny one that took her from working on invasive Japanese knotweed during her undergraduate studies in Environmental Science to a brief stop-over in the pharmacy school. Thinking that this new career path would be more promising on the job market and being driven by the idea of helping people, she came to find out that the reality of health care in the US did not match what she was looking for. So she returned to the Environmental Sciences. In 2008, Catherine ended up in Iceland and started learning about fisheries. Ever since, the relationship between humans and the ocean has been the red thread throughout her scientific work, starting with taking part in a PhD program in Alaska called “Marine Ecosystem Sustainability in the Arctic and Subarctic” where she got to take classes on topics such as Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Oceanography, and Fisheries Economics. This variety can still be seen in her current research interests that range from the management of sustainable resources (fisheries, seaweed mariculture, driftwood) and marine plastics, to fishers’ knowledge of invasive species, youth and ocean literacy, and the social aspects of energy transitions in small-scale fisheries. By looking at the connection between humans and the sea, we not only collect valuable information that is crucial for conserving the oceans, we also get to learn and understand more about ourselves, about what it means to be human. Catherine hopes that her work will help critically challenge common believes on human nature, why we act in the way we do, and how we should govern ourselves in connection with marine resources. On being a scientist To Catherine, the most important and exciting part about being a scientist is asking the questions that make you realise what you don´t know. As a scientist it is important to be humble about the knowledge that we already have and the all the answers that we still need to find. One thing that she wishes she would have already known when she started her PhD is that the amount of work that you are expected to do ever-increases when you stay on the academic path following your PhD. So enjoy the time while you can 🙂 [...] Read more...

Celebrating Marina de la Cámara

January 16, 2025Today´s spotlight we want to shine on Marina de la Cámara as she is defending her PhD this coming Friday (17.01.2025). A big congratulatory hug from us, you are going to do wonderful! Growing up Marina had a bit of an identity crisis as a kid. She wanted to be a musician, a writer a teacher and a scientist all at once. Eventually science won (but art is still a big part of her life) and after doing her Masters in Norway she ended up in Iceland to do her PhD. In January 2020 she started her research at the University of Iceland, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences. Marina has always been fascinated by the incredible diversity of life and is interested in the evolutionary processes behind it, no matter the study species. But during her PhD where she studied the genetic basis of why the Arctic charr look so different from each other, she fell in love with the Arctic charr. The highs and lows of a PhD Just like life, a PhD has its ups and downs. And while it gives a lot of freedom to do the research you want, a lot of students deal with loneliness. She recalls times when deep in research that it was tough to deal with loneliness and isolation. PhD research is oftentimes done alone as it is such a specific topic you are studying and there are few people you can turn to. Furthermore, finding funding opportunities and the challenges that come with publishing in peer-reviewed journals can also be stressful and frustrating. And as many scientists know, reviewer #2 is a bitch and will make you believe that your whole study is crap even if it isn´t so! But we wouldn’t do a PhD if we didn’t love science and Marina sure does. She loves diving into her results and summarising tables and complicated plots, and giving them biological meaning. Like a puzzle, she connected ideas from very specific questions and came up with answers (and even more questions) to put it in a bigger picture and tell a story. If you are a prospective graduate student we hope you do not feel too discouraged as research is wonderful but it is good to know the challenges we deal with. Marina wants to give as advice to do what excites you the most. Do not be afraid to try new things or to go off the established academic pathway to see what you are comfortable doing. She knows it is easy to feel overwhelmed and question your place in academia (hello imposter syndrome!). So prioritising your mental health is super important. Make sure to build a strong support network, especially when your family and childhood friends are far away. Surrounding yourself with people who remind you that you matter and that you belong will make all the difference. Also, find out what you like doing besides research. While being a graduate student and doing research is a big part of you, it is important to be able to unwind afterwards and empty your head of all those research questions! Marina loves to have her feet off the ground, whether it is practising aerial arts or rock climbing. She also enjoys listening to music and spending quality time with friends and family. Future plans set in motion While wrapping up the last pieces of her PhD Marina did already start a new chapter. Currently, she is working at The Institute for Experimental Pathology at Keldur where she is studying viruses and parasites in salmonids. But after an intense period in her life doing her PhD she also wants to make sure to take more time for herself and her loved ones and start travelling more. We wish her all the best with these plans! Find more information on Marina´s PhD defence here. [...] Read more...

The feast of St. Þorlákur

December 23, 2024What is the aroma of Christmas? For many Icelanders Christmas smells like a mix of smoked lamb meat, Christmas tree, cookies and a little bit of fermented skate, called Skata. In Iceland Skata is traditionally eaten on the day before Christmas, Þorláksmessa (23. December; celebrating St. Þorlákur). Skata has a very strong smell because of it contains ammonia, so, sometimes people boil another traditional Icelandic Christmas food, smoked lamb meat, after the skate feast, to mix the aromas. Others boil the skate in their garage or even outdoors. In Iceland two species of skate are fermented. Blue skate, which is the most common, and thorny skate. The thorny skates need to have the skin removed before boiling because of the spines. To ferment the skate the wings are cut off and put into a big container and covered. They are kept in a cold place for about three weeks (depending on the temperature). The fermentation is necessary to break down urea (1) and trimethylamin N-Oxid (2), which are quite toxic. During fermentation bacteria break them down into ammonia, which makes the flesh safe to eat. When the skate is ready it is boiled. We eat it with boiled potatoes, sometimes with boiled turnips and with ryebread with a thick layer of butter. It is also necessary to have sheep fat with the Skata, either hamsatólg (which is melted sheep fat with tasty brown bits) or if you are from the Westfjords Hnoðmör (which is sheep fat, that was allowed to go mouldy before melting). The two types of fat differ greatly in taste. Also, Skata comes in different strengths and people often want it to be really strong. The strongest Skata is called “gómlosa”, which literary translates to top of the mouth loosener. But, one has to breath out when putting the skate in the mouth, because if you inhale you will get teary eyes. But why this Christmas tradition? Back in the days Skata was a common food in Iceland, especially in the Westfjords. People there ate Skata at least once a week, so it was a very ordinary food. Now, people wanted to eat something normal before Christmas eve (when Icelanders start celebrating Christmas at six o’clock) to leave space for when all the good food was put on the table. This tradition originated in the Westfjörds but is now celebrated all over Iceland. Commonly, people gather together in big Skata feasts before going for the last Christmas shopping at Þorláksmessa. (1) Urea (þvagefni) is a waste product of the body when it digests proteins from the food and is a main component of urine. (2) Trimethylamin N-Oxid (TMAO) is important for protein stability. When fish die bacteria break down TMAO to trimethylamin (TMA), which gives the “fishy” smell. [...] Read more...

The brown trout of Thingvallavatn and Ölfusá

December 13, 2024Marcos Lagunas and his collaborators from the University of Iceland and the Marine and Freshwater Institute teamed up for a project on the genetics of brown trout. Last year, they published an article where they looked into the genetic structure of different trout populations in Thingvallavatn and Ölfusá. The decline of trout in Thingvallavatn The number of brown trout in Thingvallavatn heavily declined between 1960 to 1990. Why the trout declined has never been fully known but the building of a dam in 1959 at the South of the lake might have contributed. This dam dried up a small river leading out of the lake and destroyed an important feeding ground for juvenile (young) trout. To help the trout recover, fish from the breeding grounds in the river Óxará were used to rear eggs in the 1990s and early 2000s. This river is connected to Thingvallavatn on the northern shore of the lake and is an important breeding ground for trout. Juvenile trout and eggs were then released into the lake to increase the number of trout. Currently, the number of brown trout is high again, so these efforts seem to have been successful. In 2016 and 2017 Marcos and his team caught brown trout from Thingvallavatn and surrounding rivers using gill nets and electrofishing. To look into the genetics of these trout he took a small piece of the caudal fin (the fin on the tail) that was used to extract the DNA of each trout. The effect of restoration efforts is shown in trout DNA Marcos and his team looked into the genetic structure of the trout in Thingvallavatn. They could see that many trout from the lake had a genetic component that originated from trout in the river Öxará. This was not too much of a surprise as this may have been a result of the restoration efforts from the 1990s and 2000s. Also, they found that different trout populations in the area have small genetic diversity compared to trout that have access to the ocean. This could hinder their ability to adapt to changing environments which is crucial in these times of rapid climate change. But why is it so important that we look into the genetics of fish? We hear more and more about fish species being threatened, especially due to climate change and overfishing. The first step in ensuring conservation is to identify fish that are unique or have reduced genetic diversity. Going back to the study, the authors found a specific trout population in the Hengill volcanic area that provides genetic variability to trout in Thingvallavatn. Some of the streams where these Hengill trout live have an inflow of hot water due to hot springs in the area. Because of this, the trout living there might have genetic variability linked to their tolerance to higher water temperatures. This might be essential to the survival of brown trout in Thingvallavatn and Ölfusá with climate change on the rise! Read Marcos’ paper here if you want to learn more about the brown trout in Thingvallavatn and the Ölfusá watershed. [...] Read more...

Can we protect biodiversity with fisheries laws?

December 5, 2024But what is biodiversity, and why do we need to protect it? „Biodiversity“, a term that we are confronted with every day, whether we hear about it in the media or read about it in scientific articles. Simply said, biodiversity describes the variety of all living things on Earth, from plants and animals, to fungi and microorganisms. Biodiversity also covers the places that these organisms share and how they interact with each other. The variety between all these organisms helps the ecosystem to stay healthy and keep the balance. By protecting the biodiversity, we can make sure that our ecosystems are stronger and can better deal with disturbances. In December 2022, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) with 23 targets was adopted. One of the key targets of the GBF, also called 30×30, is that 30% of the world’s oceans, freshwaters, and lands will be protected by the years 2030. The goal is to protect areas that are important for biodiversity. Want to find out more about the targets of GBF, check here: https://www.cbd.int/gbf/targets. Have you heard about OECMs? Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) are areas that are not traditionally protected areas but contribute to the long-term conservation of biodiversity. OECMs have become a popular tool that can be used to reach the 30×30 target. Find out more: https://iucn.org/our-union/commissions/group/iucn-wcpa-other-effective-area-based-conservation-measures-specialist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqThHigjZ5c OECMs in Iceland? In her recent paper, Guðbjörg Ásta Ólafsdóttir and colleagues, have looked at what stakeholders in Iceland think about Fisheries restricted areas (FRA) as OECMs. FRA are defined areas in which specific fishing activities are restricted either permanently or during specific times of the year to protect fish stocks, habitats and/or ecosystems. To find out the opinions of stakeholders, she interviewed a group of experts, analysed public comments to changes of fisheries laws that were proposed in November 2022, and did a nation-wide online survey. But what do stakeholders think? The publication highlights three main results: All people involved generally support ocean conservation but there are still some differences between the groups of stakeholders. Many fishers link the protection of fish and their habitats with biodiversity conservation. Scientists on the other hand highlight that a wider approach to conservation is needed on top of the protection of fish stocks. These differences can also be seen in the type of language they use to talk about the topic. Stakeholder’s trust damaged. Regulation 188/2023 is Iceland’s first fisheries regulation to include specific biodiversity goals. But there are mixed opinions about this regulation. Some of the stakeholders are concerned about the lack of agreement and clarity. And the results show that their experiences around the regulation 188/2023 might have damaged their trust. Stakeholders explained what changes they want to see in the future. Based on the studies’ results, stakeholders want to see that laws and policies become more inclusive and that there is a clear communication about marine conservation. In the future, there should be a focus to connect laws on fisheries and conservation and stakeholders should be included early in the process. Overall, a common “language” should be found that helps to create common ground between the different stakeholder groups. [...] Read more...

Marion’s PhD journey

November 28, 2024Today we are putting Dr. Marion Dellinger in the spotlight as she is defending her PhD ! Congratulations Marion! A New Life Accomplishment On November 29th, Marion will defend her PhD thesis titled “Eco-evolutionary processes in personality and spatial cognition of Arctic charr morphs (Salvelinus alpinus)”. She studies fish behaviour (more particularly their personality traits and how they navigate their space), how they evolve, and the factors influencing them. Her PhD was done at the University of Hólar and University of Iceland. The inspiration for research Growing up, Marion wanted to be many things. A writer or a painter, a bailiff, English teacher or translator, a vet (which she is now but prefers to be in research) and eventually, she settled on being a researcher at the age of 15. Marion had always been fascinated by the interactions between animals and their environment. She wanted to understand why animals (humans included) behave the way they do, and why some behave differently than others. PhD life is both rewarding and challenging in many ways Marion’s favorite part about doing her PhD is that she got to be very crafty and creative when designing a new experiment. One of the biggest challenges is the financial precarity once the funding contracts end. However, she is grateful for the experience and getting to work with many new people, and eventually became good friends. As a tip for graduate students, she recommends starting with the paper writing process and thesis right from the beginning. Do not procrastinate, even if you write only a few lines every week. A message for future graduate students and scientists Advice that she would like to give to people who are in the field of work is that you don’t have to stick to the Bachelor-Master first steps. I’m the living proof of this. Explore the areas/jobs you feel like, do internships in all sorts of research labs to find what kind of science you enjoy the most. And when you feel ready, you can always come back to a PhD program, wherever your path has led you before that. Enjoyments and plans for the future Marion is now continuing in a postdoc in behavioural and evolutionary ecology. Outside of work, she is planning a marriage with her partner next August, and plans to adopt a dog someday. On her time off she enjoys playing Dungeons and Dragons, traveling, playing the guitar, and singing. [...] Read more...

The Icelandic glacier lantern fish

November 21, 2024Have you ever wondered about all the kinds of fish are out there in the deep oceans? Have you ever heard of the glacier lantern fish? In July, we introduced you to Charlotte Matthews, a marine biologist with a passion for the mesopelagic zone of the ocean. Since then, Charlotte has not only moved from Iceland to Canada to start her PhD at Memorial University, but she has also recently published a paper based on her Master‘s thesis. In her paper, she explored the biology of the glacier lantern fish in Icelandic waters. She used fish samples that were collected during a larger ecosystem survey. She measured each fish and took out the otoliths. Fun fact: Otoliths are ear bones of the fish. You can count the rings on the otoliths to measure the age of a fish. But what did she find? With her study, Charlotte shows that the glacier lantern fish has different body conditions and age structures in different parts of the ocean in the south and west of Iceland. She would like to see this project become bigger, with more studies looking at the glacier lantern fish. Charlotte thinks it would be great to look at for example how the characteristics of this fish are at different times of the year and how this species reproduces and grows. Are you interested in Icelandic fish, their biology and how to measure their age, then Charlotte’s paper is for you! 🙂 [...] Read more...

Joseph Phillips: Where music, math and nature meet

November 12, 2024 Joseph Phillips is a man of many talents and passions, which is reflected in Joe’s childhood dreams of either becoming a chef, a veterinarian or studying prehistoric events as a palaeontologist. His love for nature and math won in the end, leading him to study biology. He first came to Iceland as a PhD student to study the midges of Lake Mývatn, and when a post-doctoral research position on Lake Mývatn opened up, he took the opportunity and moved to Iceland. After all, his favourite season was winter, but after three years in Iceland, summer has grown on him. During his time in Iceland, he was part of a group of researchers in the department of Aquaculture and Fish Biology at the University of Hólar. Here Joe began his research on the natural predator of the midges, threespine stickleback. Specifically, Joe studies how other species affect the stickleback population throughout space and time. Especially the close link between midges and stickleback in Lake Mývatn has sparked his interest. The number of midges that emerge every year from Lake Mývatn can change dramatically. So what happens in years when there are only a few midges for the stickleback to eat? How does midge density impact stickleback body and population size? Are the patterns the same across the lake and across years? These are only a couple of the questions that Joe is trying to answer with the support of his co-workers and many students he has supervised over the years. Joe is truly a team player, be it at work or when he plays board games in his free time. Especially the local dungeons and dragons’ group of Hólar misses his talents as a skilled dungeon master. But his team spirit was clear from an early age, when he started to play the tuba in different musical groups, and he continues to do so until today. His love for music is also why he connected so deeply with math. The patterns that unfold and repeat over time can be found in music as well as in math. For Joe, the recipe to a happy and balanced life is to “find the intersection between what you are interested in and what you are good at” and to “do what you want, not what you think people want you to do”. By following his own advice, Joe has built a wonderful space for himself back in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska USA, where he holds a position as an assistant professor at Creighton University. There he gets to teach and mentor young students whilst keeping up the research projects that are dear to him. In the future, he hopes to expand into more local projects and to strengthen the local research outreach. We hope to hear about his exciting new adventures sometime soon over a craft beer at the beer club in Hólar, like we used to. [...] Read more...

When scientists go to sea…

October 31, 2024 Last June I applied for a networking and training event with no expectations at all. Little did I know what a fantastic journey lay ahead of me and all the beautiful people I would get to meet. But let us start at the beginning… In late 2023 two associations for Polar Early Career Scientist, UK Polar network and APECS Iceland, had the idea to organize a joint training and networking event to create new collaborations across countries and fields of research. They named this project Skillset and managed to get a spot for all of us aboard the RRS Sir David Attenborough (SDA), which is the newest research vessel of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). It has all the fancy equipment to make a scientist’s heart skip a beat, as well as, all the cozy interior to make everybody feel at home. Once we all went through sea survival training (crazy and fun) and filled in all the paperwork (soooo much paperwork) the actual journey could begin. On the 12th of October 2024 nine of us early career researchers boarded the SDA for a 10-day passage from Harwich, England to Madeira, Portugal. The first couple of days we spent getting to know each other and repeatedly getting lost aboard the ship (what a maze). We also received training on the equipment aboard and on various remote sensing instruments that float in the oceans and send back information via satellites. After some rough sea we all found our sea legs, and happily dove into our group projects. As we all came from different backgrounds, we learned from each other and combined our skill sets (pun intended) to put together a project with data collected along our way. It was so cool to see all these different people coming together and let their creativity run wild, which resulted in fantastic collaborative projects. However, doing fun science together was not the only place we came together. Living on a ship for 10 days also meant that we spent every free moment together. Luckily the SDA comes with an amazing kitchen staff that prepares yummy food 24/7, a cozy day room where one can chat and play games (including Mario Kart!), a gym with a sauna and an observation deck from which we could keep a lookout for some cool animals crossing our ways. Although the weather was a bit rough to begin with, we got rewarded with many sea bird sightings and even some dolphins and turtles (or maybe just some round blobs, who knows). In the end when we disembarked in Madeira on the 21st of October, we left the SDA with a heavy heart but with so many precious memories and many new friends. We already plan on a reunion and many of us are planning joint projects. So, the goal of Skillset to further collaborations between the UK and Iceland was a big success, because who better to do research with than your friends! [...] Read more...

Effects of size and temperature on cod movement

October 23, 2024Anja Nickel and her co-authors, Dr. Steven Campana and Dr. Guðbjörg Ásta Ólafsdóttir, published a paper this past summer in Journal of Fish Biology about the movement of juvenile Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and saithe (Pollachius virens) in the shallow coastal waters. With the use of acoustic telemetry, Anja and her team, investigated the effect of changing water temperatures and fish body size on the juvenile depth distribution and migration timing from late summer until early winter. The study was based in Seyðísfjörður, Westfjords, Iceland. What are the main findings? Juvenile cod and saithe showed a clear vertical segregation between size groups and species, which were likely driven by size-dependent thermal preferences, predation pressure and niche differentiation among juveniles. Seasonal changes in the water temperature affected the distribution of juvenile cod and saithe at nurseries and were a major driver for leaving the fjord. Juvenile cod were partial migrants, meaning that not all individuals left the fjord with the onset of winter, but some fish (especially small individuals) remained in the shallow habitats when temperatures were near freezing (figure below). What methods did you use? We used acoustic telemetry, a technology used to continuously track fish in their natural environment and to study individuals’ movement and behavior. It involves implanting an acoustic transmitter into the body cavity of a fish, where it emits sound signals which are picked up by an underwater receiver network. The detection data were used to estimate individuals’ positions and were linked to body size, water temperature, and bathymetry. [...] Read more...

Saidie Ainsworth: From Hello Kitty to Iceland

October 2, 2024Growing up, Sadie didn´t have her mind settled on one specific future career path but when people caught up with her and her glittery pink plastic Hello Kitty phone, she would come up with many different plans. One of these many ideas brought her on a path to come to Iceland. She is currently doing her master’s degree in “Coastal and Marine Management” at the University Centre of the Westfjords in Ísafjörður, Iceland and has recently started work on her master’s thesis. Besides doing science and looking at fish, Sadie likes going for bike rides with friends and enjoying some self-made sandwiches while soaking in a good hot pot. It’s all about the Salmon While her favorite fish is the Westslope cutthroat trout, Sadie has always been fascinated by Atlantic salmon. Salmon is known for many things, it can climb up waterfalls, can serve as some delicious food and can be found at the center of global politics, food systems, community development, and environmentalism. But the species is also being put under great pressure. It comes with no surprise that she is writing her master’s thesis about salmon, looking at the genomic basis of sea age maturity in Atlantic salmon populations in Iceland. When asked how she would explain her research to children, Sadie answered: “Once salmon are big enough, they swim from the river where they were born to the sea. In the sea they eat until they are strong enough to swim back to the same river where they were born to reproduce. How long a salmon spends out at sea is driven by environmental factors such as food availability and the genes inherited from its parents. Even salmon born in the same river may spend a different amount of time out at sea. I’m investigating the genetic diversity of salmon populations in relation to how long they spend in the sea.” We can´t wait to hear about what she has found out. Life as a scientist In Sadie’s opinion, a scientist is a person who questions, measures, and monitors the natural environment and its surroundings. Her favorite part about being a scientist is the time she gets to spend outside and tune in to the nature around her, learning about her environment and how this might change her perspectives. And while Sadie is still in the early steps of her scientific journey, she does have some recommendations for future scientists, including that thank you notes go a long way. [...] Read more...

How fertiliser can harm fish

September 26, 2024 In the picture above Rakel is drilling a hole in the ice covering lake Garðsvatn in winter time. She collected a water sample and took basic measurements like temperature. Rakel Þorbjörnsdóttir is a curious and bubbly person that I have had the pleasure of working with throughout my PhD. Her curiosity and boundless energy lead her to pursue a Bachelor in natural and environmental sciences at the Agricultural University of Iceland, whilst still working as a technician at the department for Aquaculture and Fish Biology of Hólar University. When it came to choosing a topic for her bachelor’s thesis, she found inspiration right outside her house door. Rakel lives on the dairy farm Litli-garður on the Hegranes peninsula in Skagafjörður. Lake Garðsvatn is part of the farm and is fed by a glacial river and flows directly into the ocean. Rakel was curious to find out if the fertiliser used on her farm had an effect on the lake ecosystem. With her supervisor Björn Þorsteinsson, Rakel developed her Bachelor project to test “The effect of nitrogen (N) in field runoff water on algal blooms in Lake Garðsvatn”. Animal poop is high in nitrogen, which is used by plants to grow. That is why farmers spread animal poop on their fields, to increase plant growth. But when farmers use too much poop to fertilise their fields, the fertiliser can be washed away into the nearby water, where it can be used by algae to grow. Algae use nitrogen to grow and produce oxygen (O2), which can be used by bacteria to grow. When bacteria grow too much, they can use up all the oxygen in the water, leaving too little for other animals, like fish, to breathe. That is how the use of too much fertiliser can cause fish to die. Rakel tested if the fertiliser used on her farm is being washed off into the water and used by algae to grow. Chlorophyll a is what makes plants green and can be used to measure how much algae are present. Rakel collected regular water samples from the little river crossing the farm fields into the lake and the lake itself across seasons for a whole year. In the lab she then measured the amount of Chlorophyll a and nitrogen in each sample. Finally, she used statistical tests to see if the amount of fertiliser used correlated with the amount of nitrogen in the water and the Chlorophyll a found in algae. The results showed that there was no connection between the amount of fertiliser spread on the fields on nitrogen or Chlorophyll a, which means that Rakel’s farm was not using too much fertiliser. Future projects could involve looking at the composition of different kinds of fertilisers and expand the study to include multiple farms and lakes. This could be a great tool for farmers to improve their use of fertiliser on their fields, whilst protecting the surrounding water systems. [...] Read more...

Mývatn Research Anniversary Conference

September 20, 2024 Lake Mývatn has been studied by people for decades, but projects really picked up when the Mývatn research station was founded 50 years ago. With Árni Einarsson as the head of the research station, scientists came together and many projects have been spearheaded through the years. Especially long-term monitoring in collaboration with the University of Iceland, Hólar University and University of Wisconsin-Madison (USA) has shed light on the incredible ecosystem that is Lake Mývatn. The conference was held at the former school Skjólbrekka, which is located right next to the Mývatn research station near the lake shore. During the four days of the conference, researchers from many different fields present their past and present work in and around Lake Mývatn. We learned about the incredible dynamics between species in the lake and how nutrients find their way into the lake, making it so incredibly productive. On our excursion to the river Laxá Árni also explained to us how Mývatn drives life in the river, making it one of the most productive rivers in the world. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate, so we cut our trip short. Luckily a warm bus and beers brought us back to our wonderful guesthouse Narfastaðir where we officially celebrated 50 years of Mývatn research with a delightful dinner, live music, and singing with old and new friends. Although the general tone of the conference was positive, it was not all good news. We also learned about the decline in Arctic charr, certain midge species and various water birds, which likely is connected to progressing climate change. So, understanding how the species interact in Mývatn could not only be important for the species living in Mývatn all year round, but also for the thousands of birds coming to Iceland to nest in Mývatn during the summer. Overall, scientists have made a lot of progress in understanding what makes Lake Mývatn so unique, but there is still just so much unknown. For this reason, the last day of the conference was fully dedicated to the future. In groups we discussed what topics and species have been overlooked so far and tried to identify what the most pressing topics of research are. We came up with potential future projects and collaborations especially using the already existing data sets. We also discussed the upcoming special issue in the journal Aquatic Ecology, which will be fully dedicated to Lake Mývatn. What became very clear though, is that research is not the only thing that has bloomed over the years. Many friendships have formed and have made research not only interesting but also fun, as work is so much sweeter when you get to do it with your friends. In this spirit, the new head of the Mývatn research station, Agnes-Katharina Kreiling, said that the door of the Mývatn research station will stay open and that her husband and son will be happy for people to stop by for coffee and a chat, as Árni Einarsson has done all these years. [...] Read more...

Books on aquatic fauna

September 12, 2024 Vitor asked us a great question if we knew about any books on Icelandic aquatic fauna that would help someone understand the importance of fish research. So we compiled a list! (With a thank you to Bjarni Kristófer Kristjánsson who kindly sent us his recommendations). Most of these books are in Icelandic but we have also added some English books on aquatic fauna that are more general but still applicable to Iceland. Click on the names with hyperlinks to find out how to order your own copy. And we have provided short summaries on the books in English and Icelandic. Lífríki Íslands Lífríki Íslands: vistkerfi lands og sjávar (Icelandic). This book by biologist Snorri Baldursson is a detailed exploration of Iceland’s nature and ecosystems. It covers the history and development of the biosphere, examining land and sea habitats, and the adaptation of organisms since the Ice Age. The book discusses different environments such as wetlands, beaches, and freshwater, highlighting human impact, conservation needs, and future prospects. It is enriched with clear diagrams and beautiful photographs by the author. Þessi bók eftir líffræðinginn Snorra Baldursson er ítarleg könnun á náttúru og vistkerfum Íslands. Hún fjallar um sögu og þróun lífhvolfsins og skoðar mismunandi búsvæði á landi og í sjó, sem og aðlögun lífvera frá lokum ísaldar. Bókin fjallar um ólík umhverfi, svo sem votlendi, fjörur og ferskvatn, og leggur áherslu á áhrif manna, verndunarþarfir og framtíðarhorfur. Hún er einnig rík af skýringarmyndum og fallegum ljósmyndum höfundarins. Íslenskir fiskar Íslenskir fiskar (Icelandic). Íslenskir fiskar is an extensive guide to the 350+ species of fish found in Icelandic waters. The first part of the book covers the general biology, habitats, and evolution of fish, while the second part offers detailed descriptions of each species, including their lifestyles, habitats, and uses. The text is accompanied by watercolors by Jón Baldur Hlíðberg, and maps show the distribution of species in the North Atlantic. Diagrams highlight various unique features of the fish. Íslenskir fiskar er yfirgripsmikil handbók um meira en 350 tegundir fiska sem finnast í sjónum í kringum Ísland. Fyrsti hluti bókarinnar fjallar almennt um fiska, líffræði þeirra, búsvæði og þróun, en í seinni hluta er fjallað ítarlega um hverja tegund, lífsstíl þeirra, búsvæði og notkun. Vatnslitamyndir eftir Jón Baldur Hlíðberg fylgja hverri tegund og kort sýna útbreiðslu í Norður-Atlantshafi. Skýringarmyndir varpa ljósi á ýmsar sérkennilegar eiginleika fiskanna. Fiskar Fiskar í ám og vötnum (Icelandic). Fish in rivers and lakes. Nonfiction for the general public about Icelandic freshwater fish. Guðni Guðbergsson and Þórólf Antonsson got together. Fiskar í ám og vötnum. Fræðirit fyrir almenning um íslenska ferskvatnsfiska. Guðni Guðbergsson og Þórólfur Antonsson tóku saman. Fiskarnir Fiskarnir (Icelandic). Author is Bjarni Sæmundsson. A guide on Pisces Islandiæ with 266 illustrations and maps. Bók eftir Bjarna Sæmundsson, leiðarvísir um *Pisces Islandiæ* með 266 myndum og kortum. Crossbill guide Crossbill nature guide Iceland (English). This nature travel guidebook to Iceland by Dirk Hilbers provides routes and background information on the country’s landscapes, flora, and fauna. It covers Iceland’s landscape history, ecosystems, geology, and offers insights on where to watch birds, find orchids, and explore other wildflowers. The guide includes 23 detailed routes with tips for spotting wildlife and 53 site descriptions. It’s a comprehensive resource for nature enthusiasts looking to explore Iceland’s unique natural beauty. Þessi náttúruleiðsögubók um Ísland eftir Dirk Hilbers býður upp á leiðarlýsingar og bakgrunnsupplýsingar um landslag, gróður og dýralíf landsins. Bókin fjallar um landslagssögu Íslands, vistkerfi, jarðfræði og lýsir hvar má sjá fugla, finna orkídeur og aðrar villiblómategundir. Leiðsögubókin inniheldur 23 ítarlegar leiðir með ráðum um að finna villt dýr og 53 staðalýsingar. Þetta er yfirgripsmikill leiðarvísir fyrir náttúruunnendur sem vilja kanna einstaka náttúru Íslands. Handbook of the Marine Fauna of North-West Europe Handbook of the Marine Fauna of North-West Europe (English). This authoritative guide by Peter J. Hayward and John S. Ryland allows for the accurate identification of common inshore benthic invertebrates of the British Isles and nearby European coasts, along with many fish species. The new edition expands on the strengths of the previous work and has been thoroughly revised to reflect advances in taxonomy and ecology. Þessi áreiðanlegi leiðarvísir eftir Peter J. Hayward og John S. Ryland gerir kleift að auðkenna algeng botndýr í strandhéruðum Bretlandseyja og nálægra Evrópustranda, auk margra fisktegunda. Nýja útgáfan byggir á styrkleikum fyrri verka og hefur verið endurskoðuð til að taka mið af framförum í flokkunarfræði og vistfræði. Do you have a question for us as well? Please share with us 🙂 [...] Read more...

ABOUT US

We want to make research on fish in Iceland available to everybody.

We hope that our passion will reach people across Iceland and inspire you to connect through fish science.

We highlight researchers who are just getting started and motivate them to share their work with young and old.

Hopefully, this will inspire especially young people to be curious and ask questions.

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE

Are you a researcher working on or someone passionate about Icelandic fish and want to share who you are and/or what you do? Contact us!

ICE Fish

Research

Explore

Scientist spotlight

Publications

Discovery zone

We want to make research on fish in Iceland available to everybody.

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE