The battle for food in the Barents Sea: Cod vs marine mammals

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Cod Gadus morhua, harp seals Pagophilus groenlandicus and common minke whales Balaenoptera acutorostrata are the most conspicuous apex predators in the Barents Sea ecosystem. They mainly feed on fish and crustaceans such as krill, amphipods and shrimp. A recent study, where the competition between NEA cod, minke whales and sea birds was studied, suggests that cod and minke whales have a significant diet overlap and that the overlap increases with changes in the abundance of herring and krill. Given that cod and minke whales share both habitat and prey with the harp seals during their most intensive feeding period (summer/autumn) it is highly likely that they compete for food.