Polar cod is one of the most numerous fish species in the northern Barents Sea. The Barents Sea is part of the Arctic Ocean, which is the sea area north of Europe, Asia, and America, with the North Pole at its center. Sea ice covers the central parts of the Arctic Ocean all year-round. In areas farther south, the sea ice melts in summer and freezes again in fall. Even farther south, there is no sea ice at all. In recent decades, the temperatures on earth have risen due to human activities. As a result, much of the sea ice in the Arctic Ocean has melted. Many areas that were previously ice-covered year-round are now ice-free in summer, and many areas that were previously ice-covered in winter and ice-free in summer are now ice-free year-round. One area where these changes are taking place is the Barents Sea.

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