Since the 1970s tremendous changes have been observed in the Arctic region. As such, the surface air temperature within this region has increased twice the global average and according to existing climate model predictions, this trend will continue in the future (IPCC, 2007). However, interpretation of such transformation, which results from greenhouse warming, is still difficult. This is due to a lack of knowledge about the influence of multi-annual to decadal climate variations and the fact that climatic data from this region are usually temporally and spatially biased. Therefore, a better understanding and further research on the effects and predictability of climate variability is needed. We examined the growth variability in shells of the bivalve Arctica islandica which is affected by environmental factors, mainly temperature or food supply. We compare shells from two sampling sites, the northern Norwegian coast and Kola Peninsula coast (SW Barents Sea). Both localities are in the realm of the Norwegian Coastal Current (after crossing the border to Russia it is called the Murman Coastal Current). For the investigation of the annual and inter-annual growth variability all collected shells were cut parallel to the line of strongest growth (LSG) and 3 mm thick-sections were attached to a glass slide. After grinding and polishing, the cross-sections were stained in Mutvei´s solution. Annual growth bands were identified and measured. Samples for the stable oxygen isotope (δ18O) analysis and the seasonality approach were taken using a hand drill and the milling technique. As our prime objective we compared the shell growth of the Norwegian and the Russian populations and determined the external factors controlling the annual shell growth variability in A. islandica. Furthermore, the shells from both populations have been checked for decadal oscillations (NAO? ACRI?). Finally, stable oxygen isotope ratio (δ18O) profiles have been measured to identify seasonal signals and to reconstruct regional water temperature variability at a sub-annual level.