Fauna of the Labrador Sea

The animal life of the Labrador Sea is similar to that of the neighbouring Arctic seas, but there are also warmer-loving species. In summer, many species of gregarious fish and squid come here to feed.

Common fishes of the Labrador Sea

There are many fish in the sea. In the coastal waters you can find several species of Gobiidae, Cottus, Liparis, American smooth flounder, yellowfin sole. In the open sea there are several species of Clupea (C. pallasii pallasii, Clupea harengus), haddock, hake, Gadidae (Boreogadus saida, Navaga, Arctogadus), blue whiting, mackerel and other species. Capelin, flounder, ammodytes are the most common in the southern parts of the sea. Cod and shrimp are harvested from ports on the Greenland coast in the Labrador Sea. Other commercially important species include Greenland halibut and Chionoecetes opilio. The Labrador Sea is also a feeding ground for Atlantic salmon.

Invertebrates of the Labrador Sea

Bottom invertebrates are represented by molluscs (cephalopods, bivalves, etc.), echinoderms (sea urchins), coelenterates (jellyfish), crustaceans (shrimps, crabs, lobsters, echinoderms), marine worms, etc. 

Mammals of the Labrador Sea

Mammals include cetaceans (many species of rorqual), toothed whales, killer whales, dolphins and pinnipeds. Pack ice in the northern and western parts of the sea in early spring serves as a breeding ground for harp and hooded seals. Beluga whales have been virtually absent from the Labrador Sea since the mid-1950s. 

Labrador Sea Reptiles

An unusual visitor to the Labrador Sea is the critically endangered leatherback sea turtle, the largest known reptile.

Labrador Sea Sharks

There are also several species of sharks. The Labrador Sea is often visited by the Greenland shark and the common porbeagle. Spiny dogfish are found along the mainland coast in the south and near the southern tip of Greenland Island. Great whites sometimes swim into the area around the southern tip of Newfoundland Island. In summer, the basking shark likes to swim in the southern parts of the sea and feed on zooplankton. The southern boundary of the sea is close to the range of sharks such as the blue shark, shortfin mako shark and hammerhead shark. There are no recorded incidents of shark attacks on humans in the Labrador Sea.