Pelagic Division

The research focus of the Pelagic Division is on the ecology and environmental conditions of the water column from the seafloor and to the surface.  Therefore, our research encompasses a wide range of topics from the largest existing animals to microscopic phytoplankton, in addition to the physics and chemistry of the oceans. Our projects have therefore objectives ranging from long-term monitoring of oceanographic conditions and ecology to applied research related to advice on fisheries management.

Monitoring of environmental conditions in Icelandic waters is one of MFRI´s most important projects. The objective is a monitoring of environmental conditions with repeated observations on hydrography, nutrients, oxygen and ocean acidification on fixed stations around Iceland in four annual research surveys. The focus is on long term trends of all these variables and their potential influence on the biota.

Increasing aquaculture in Iceland has resulted in increasing research effort on currents and other environmental parameters in fjords. This forms the basis of our advice on carrying capacity of fjords and therefore the sustainable use of the coastal area.

Phytoplankton forms the basis of the marine food chain in the ocean. Annual monitoring of phytoplankton is in connection to the hydrographic research surveys, but remote-sensing data is also used for the estimation of primary productivity and its annual progression. Other research activities on phytoplankton includes monitoring of toxic plankton in the coastal zone.

Zooplankton plays a critical role in the marine environment and is a prey for all fish stocks at least at the early stages of their life. Pelagic fish stocks and baleen whales prey almost entirely on zooplankton, though some species feed on other prey for part of the year. Studies on zooplankton aim to improve the biological understanding of different species as well as to determine the spatial and temporal variability in density and species composition. In addition, we work on developing methods to improve use of echosounders to quantify the larger krill species (euphausiids).

Studies on pelagic fish species are extensive in the division. The main emphasis is on estimating stock size and fishing opportunities of capelin, summer-spawning herring, Norwegian-Icelandic spring-spawning herring, blue whiting, mackerel, and lumpfish. The criteria of sustainable use make in addition various research on biology, distribution, migrations, and ecological connectivity among these fish stocks necessary, including the connectivity with the environment, zooplankton and marine mammals. Furthermore, there is an increasing focus on studies on mesopelagic fish (e.g. lanternfish and Mueller’s pearlside) due to possible exploitation of those species.

The focus of the marine mammal’s research is, as with fish stocks, the estimation of stock size of the various mammals found in Icelandic waters, including all whale species and the two seal species that bear their young in Iceland. Various studies on the biology, migrations, and behaviour of marine mammals take also place.

The overarching objective of all research in the Pelagic Division is to give advice to government on sustainable use of marine resources, to study ecological connections of the diverse species and the effects of changing environmental conditions there on. We also study the effects on the ecosystem from various man-made pressures and give government and stakeholders advice.