Due to the North Atlantic drift, the Barents Sea has a lot of plants and animals compared to other oceans of similar latitude. The spring bloom of phytoplankton can start quite early close to the ice edge. The fresh water from the melting ice makes up a water layer on top of the sea water. The phytoplankton bloom feeds zooplankton. The animals that eat zooplankton include young cod, capelin, polar cod, whales, and Little Auk. The capelin is a main food for animals such as the North-East Arctic cod, harp seals, and seabirds such as Common Guillemot and Brunnich's Guillemot. The fisheries of the Barents Sea, in particular the cod fisheries, are of great importance for both Norway and Russia.