There are arguments for reproductive continuity of cod from Icelandic to East Greenland waters, and genetic similarities to cod in Lofoten-Barents Sea (Stroganov et al. 2019). Other 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 reproductive isolation has not been confirmed (Petursdottir et al. 2006). According to a 2013 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 (ICES 2019)(MFRI 2020).