Knowledge of the status of ecosystems is vital to help develop and implement conservation strategies. This is particularly relevant to the Arctic where the need for biodiversity conservation and monitoring has long been recognised, but where issues of local capacity and logistic barriers make surveys challenging. This paper demonstrates how long-term monitoring programmes outside the Arctic can contribute to developing composite trend indicators, using monitoring of annual abundance and population-level reproduction of species of migratory Arctic-breeding waterbirds on their temperate non-breeding areas. Using data from the UK and the Netherlands, countries with year-round waterbird monitoring schemes and supporting relevant shares of Arctic-breeding populations of waterbirds, we present example multi-species abundance and productivity indicators related to the migratory pathways used by different biogeographical populations of Arctic-breeding wildfowl and wader species in the East Atlantic Flyway. These composite trend indicators show that long-term increases in population size have slowed markedly in recent years and in several cases show declines over, at least, the last decade. These results constitute proof of concept. Some other non-Arctic countries located on the flyways of Arctic-breeding waterbirds also annually monitor abundance and breeding success, and we advocate that future development of “Arctic waterbird indicators” should be as inclusive of data as possible to derive the most robust outputs and help account for effects of current changes in non-breeding waterbird distributions. The incorporation of non-Arctic datasets into assessments of the status of Arctic biodiversity is recognised as highly desirable, because logistic constraints in monitoring within the Arctic region limit effective population-scale monitoring there, in effect enabling “monitoring at a distance”.

In Iceland, sheltered rocky intertidal zones like Breiðafjörður bay are dominated by monospecific stands of Ascophyllum nodosum, providing key habitats for marine organisms. Increasing demand for A. nodosum has led to its commercial exploitation, yet impacts on fish assemblages remain poorly known. Using a novel multi-mesh netting approach, we characterised seasonal patterns in fish composition, abundance, size structure, age, and diet. Additionally, to assess the local effects of seaweed harvesting, commercial harvesting was conducted, with comparisons being made between treatment and control unharvested areas during different seasons. Nine fish species were identified, with Pollachius virens, Myoxocephalus scorpius, and Gadus morhua being the most common. Fish abundance peaked in summer, and declined the following spring, suggesting cohort turnover with juvenile gadoids relying on these habitats as nurseries. P. virens showed increased length through seasons, whereas no trends in length or abundance were observed for M. scorpius. Effects of seaweed harvesting were minimal, although fish diversity was slightly higher and G. morhua significantly larger in control plots. Stomach contents exhibited a greater diversity of prey types in harvested sites, suggesting potential impacts on trophic dynamics. These findings underscore the importance of A. nodosum-dominated habitats as nursery grounds for commercially valuable gadoids and highlight the need for a precautionary approach to seaweed harvesting to maintain ecosystem health.

A collection of over one hundred specimens of Syllidae (Polychaeta) from the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions has been examined and identified. The specimens were obtained from 26 stations in the Barents Sea, some Norwegian fiords and localities of the northern North Sea. A total of 21 species were identified; three species (Myrianida langerhansi (Gidholm, 1967), Syllides longocirrata Örsted, 1845 and Sphaerosyllis taylori Perkins, 1981) are new reports for the Arctic Ocean; 2 species are new to science, Streptodonta exsulis sp. nov. and Trypanosyllis troll sp. nov. Streptodonta exsulis sp. nov. have 4 thick, distally strongly knobbed aciculae on each anterior parapodia, shifting to a single, slender acicula on posterior parapodia; falcigers and pseudospinigers distally bidentate; and pharyngeal tooth located centrally and relatively close to anterior rim of pharynx. Trypanosyllis troll sp. nov. have 2, occasionally 3 straight aciculae in parapodia protruding out from parapodial lobes; falcigers bidentate; and body surface densely covered by numerous, small papillae. Based on the description of these 2 new species, some modifications are proposed in the diagnoses of the genera Streptodonta San Martín & Hutchings, 2006 and Trypanosyllis Claparède, 1864.