Some studies have increasing evidence for local population structures among cod in Iceland suggesting that the southwestern and northeastern populations of Atlantic cod around Iceland represent two distinct spawning components (Pampoulie et al., 2006) but it does not confirm reproductive isolation (Petursdottir et al., 2006). According to a recent study (Eiríksson and Árnason, 2013), this observed genetic difference could be very small and should be interpreted with caution. Therefore, the Marine Research Institute and ICES still consider cod within Icelandic EEZ waters to be a single stock (MRI, 2015a; ICES, 2015b).

Since 2014, all Iceland landings of cod are within the Marine Stewarsdship Council (MSC) certificate scope (Vottunarstofan Tún, 2014).