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About Newfoundland and Labrador
Capelin on Newfoundland Beaches
Each year around the end of June/early July capelin roll onto Newfoundland beaches with the ocean waves. It is quite interesting to behold those tiny fish trying frantically to beach themselves. This is their reproduction ritual. In the shallow sea water the female capelin release their eggs and the males release their milt to fertilize them. The fertilized eggs stick to the bottom and hatch in about 20 days. This frantic exercise results in the death of most of the adult fish.
The adult male capelin is about 6-8 inches in length while the female is somewhat smaller. These fish feed on plankton and become the most important forage species in the Northwest Atlantic becoming the prey of many fish species, especially cod. They are also hunted by birds, seals, whales, and by humans. During the “capelin scull” each year men, women, and children can be found on the beaches of Newfoundland harvesting the fish with buckets, dip nets, and some with cast nets. In the past tons of the little fish were hauled to local gardens where they were buried for fertilizer. This process is not as popular in recent years but Newfoundlanders look forward to their meal of pan-fried capelin while dried salted capelin are also a traditional Newfoundland snack when roasted on the Bar BQ or over an open fire.
Capelin is also fished commercially, the main market being Japan’s desire for the females when they are full of roe. Large fishing boats harvest the fish by surrounding a school of them with a purse seine which, when pulled from the bottom, trap the fish and bring them to the boat to be captured and stored on ice. Capelin is also used for fish meal and for oil products.
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