How Fishes Live in an Ice-Covered Ocean

The Arctic Ocean lies at the northernmost point of our planet, where the sun does not set in summer and does not rise in winter, and where temperatures are cold enough to keep your ice cream frozen. Floating on top is a sheet of sea ice that expands in winter and shrinks in summer. For Arctic animals, living in this environment means dealing with extremes in temperature, sea ice, light, and food. Arctic fishes have survived thanks to their unique adaptations, but now they also must survive climate change and the thinning of sea ice. Luckily, north of the Canadian Arctic and Greenland, there is a large portion of sea ice that is much older and thicker than the rest. This is the Last Ice Area, and as thick sea ice disappears from other areas, this region could act as a refuge for Arctic fishes looking for shelter under the cold ice.