Language selection

Government of Canada / Gouvernement du Canada

Search

Atlantic Capelin (Mallotus villosus)

On this page

Species overview

Physical description

Atlantic Capelin. Refer to physical description.
Illustration of an Atlantic Capelin (Mallotus villosus)

Atlantic Capelin is a small pelagic schooling fish. It is a long, slender fish with a pointed snout and a slightly protruding lower jaw. It has a large dorsal fin with a small adipose fin behind it. It is silvery under its lateral line and metallic blue, green, yellow-green, olive, or brassy brown above it. Its underside is silvery-white.

During the spawning season, Atlantic Capelin exhibit sexual dimorphism, which means:

Mature Atlantic Capelin are generally between 13 and 20 centimeters (cm) long. The largest male found in Newfoundland waters was 25 cm long. It can weigh as much as 40 to 45 grams (g). Atlantic Capelin rarely lives longer than 5 years.

Distribution

Map of NAFO Divisions showing the boundaries of divisions along the Atlantic Coast of Canada.
Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Management (NAFO) Divisions.

Capelin was previously considered as a single circumpolar species. However, there is increasing evidence that at least 3 capelin species can be found in Canadian waters:

All 3 capelin species’ habitats overlap in Canadian waters. Further studies are needed to define each of their habitat preferences, genetics, and life-history traits.

In the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic Capelin ranges from western Greenland and Hudson Bay to Maine. It is most abundant around Newfoundland and Labrador. In the early 1990s, Atlantic Capelin was observed in greater numbers in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence and on the Scotian Shelf.

Since 1992, Atlantic Capelin in Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Divisions 2J, 3K, 3L have been considered a single stock complex (referred to as “2+3”). There are 4 other recognized Atlantic Capelin stocks in Canadian waters:

Life cycle

Atlantic Capelin undergoes “boom-and-bust” population cycles in response to changing environmental conditions. Some stocks of Atlantic Capelin spend the bulk of their lives offshore, and move inshore in summer to spawn on beaches. Beach spawners roll onto sandy or fine gravel beaches where males and females deposit their respective milt (sperm) and eggs. The eggs adhere to the sandy substrate. Spawning events are thought to be more common at night and at high tide. Onshore winds and lunar phases are also thought to influence spawning time and date. There is high mortality following beach spawning, particularly among males.

Other stocks live their entire lives offshore and spawn on the sea floor in deeper water (< 40 metres (m) deep), such as on the Southeast Shoal of the Grand Bank. Choice of spawning site is mainly based on water temperature. The proportion of Atlantic Capelin that spawn at off-beach sites increases when beaches becomes too warm (> 12°C). Colder temperatures with sandy or fine gravel substrate and higher salinities are characteristic of off-beach spawning sites. Eggs spawned at off-beach sites have slower development rates. This reduces the foraging time larvae have before their first winter. Some off-beach sites can also have lower hatching success.

An increase in off-beach spawning has been observed since the collapse in the Atlantic Capelin 2+3 stock in the early 1990s. The 2+3 stock has also experienced faster immature growth since the collapse, meaning fish mature earlier. This is likely due to less competition for food. Increased growth rates of immature fish and earlier maturation result in a spawning population that is both younger and smaller compared to fish maturing and spawning at older ages.

Water and substrate temperatures influence:

Larvae emerge from beach sites 2 to 3 weeks after spawning and from deep-water sites in 4 or more weeks. Upon hatching, larvae remain near the surface until winter.

Larvae transition to juveniles 8 to 12 months after hatching. The most significant amount of growth occurs in the first year. Atlantic Capelin reach sexual maturity around 2 years old.

Fishery history

Historically, a domestic fishery with an estimated annual harvest of about 25,000 tonnes (t) existed for Atlantic Capelin on Newfoundland and Labrador beaches. The 4RST Atlantic Capelin fishery dates back over 100 years.

Atlantic Capelin was traditionally:

Atlantic Capelin was used as:

2+3 Atlantic Capelin landings from 2011 to 2020
Bar graph of Atlantic Capelin landings from 2011 to 2020.

Source: Policy and Economics. TAC Source: Fisheries Management.

Text version

The blue bars represent the amount of catch in tonnes (t) for each year. The orange line represents the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) over time.

Year Landings (t) TAC (t)
2011 20,134 24,396
2012 22,309 24,396
2013 23,755 30,496
2014 23,189 30,496
2015 25,051 30,496
2016 27,391 30,496
2017 19,914 30,496
2018 19,810 19,823
2019 20,404 22,796
2020 16,086 19,377

The inshore fishery for Atlantic Capelin roe began during the late 1970s. Japan was the primary market destination for roe-bearing females. In recent years, new markets have been developing for non-roe-bearing females and males. For example, Atlantic Capelin fisheries in Norway and Iceland occur earlier in the year than Canada, which has resulted in increased demand for Canadian Atlantic Capelin products, and improved market opportunities and prices during Canada’s capelin season.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a very small number of fish harvesters pursued the Atlantic Capelin fishery for commercial purposes. As the prominence of Japanese roe markets grew from the mid to late 1980s, so too did the number of commercial fish harvesters.

Atlantic Capelin is fished using both fixed and mobile gear. The fixed gear fishery uses traps and modified bar seines known as tuck seines. The mobile gear fleet uses purse seines.

Newfoundland and Labrador
Map of Newfoundland and Labrador showing Atlantic Capelin Fishing Areas 1 to 16.
Map of Atlantic Capelin fishing areas around Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Atlantic Capelin stocks in 2J3KL and 3Ps (Eastern and Southern Newfoundland and Labrador) are managed under the 2+3 Capelin Integrated Fishery Management Plan. Although they are currently considered two separate stocks, both elements are managed under the same management plan.

The 4RST Atlantic Capelin stock on the west coast of Newfoundland and Southern Labrador and the Gulf of St. Lawrence is considered one stock and is managed under the 4RST Capelin Management Plan.

The Capelin stock in 3NO is managed by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) and has been under moratorium since 1995.

Ecosystem context

Atlantic Capelin is an integral component of the ecosystem and interacts with both lower and higher trophic levels in marine food webs. It is a key forage species in the Newfoundland and Labrador ecosystem. Atlantic Capelin feeds on zooplankton and transfers energy to higher trophic level predators including:

Recent declines in finfish may be associated with reductions in Atlantic Capelin availability as prey.

Recent changes in zooplankton community structure have resulted in higher abundance of both large and small copepods (for more information, see: Atlantic Zone Monitoring Program (AZMP)). These zooplankton community changes suggest improved foraging conditions for larval and adult Atlantic Capelin.

Atlantic Salmon and Atlantic Cod may occur as bycatch in Atlantic Capelin traps.

Science advice and research

Science advice and research for Atlantic Capelin

Integrated Fisheries Management Plan

Integrated Fisheries Management Plan for Atlantic Capelin

Sources

Page details

Date modified: