Assessment of native and new freshwater fish species

Water temperatures in the North Atlantic have increased in the last decades as a result of climate change which facilitates the northward movement of many fish species that were previously constrained by low water temperatures. Literature has shown that new fish species have been found in both coastal waters and freshwater systems on Svalbard. Information on freshwater fish populations on Svalbard is limited, particularly around Storfjorden. During the SEES2020 expedition freshwater and marine samples will be collected and analysed from lakes, rivers and the marine environment around Storfjorden using novel eDNA methods. This will provide a baseline for future changes.