The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has installed a piece of equipment at Bellevue Beach to monitor capelin that spawn on the botton of the ocean.
Dr. Hannah Murphy is a research scientist with DFO who specializes in capelin and herring. She says most people are familiar with the capelin that spawn on beaches, but they’re interested in capelin that spawn close to beaches at a depth of about 20 to 40 metres.
We’re ready for #CapelinRoll2019! We’ve installed equipment at an ocean bottom spawning location off Bellevue Beach to monitor water conditions through the summer. And note the nosey sculpin hanging around & watching the whole thing. pic.twitter.com/Lx57eOYw0v
— DFO_NL (@DFO_NL) July 5, 2019
They’ve installed a piece of equipment called a ‘microcat’ to collect data and monitor water conditions through the summer.
She says they’re interested in the conditions on the spawning beds and how that affects the number of eggs that hatch and become larvae.
Find Where the Capelin are Rolling, Online
Residents are tracking the capelin action on a new website called eCapelin.
Victoria Neville, a specialist with World Wildlife Fund in St. John’s, says they started rolling in Trout River before making their way to the South Coast, Port aux Port Peninsula, Placentia and then to the St. John’s area.
She suspects Conception and Trinity Bay will be next to see the pelagic fish.
eCapelin allows people to upload photos of the capelin, write comments, upload and place the information on an interactive map of the province.
Capelin have rolled at Lock’s Cove on the GNP near St. Anthony. Lots of females and some males found on the beach, along with spawn about a foot deep. Has been reported on https://t.co/MfC52Uv4M0 #CapelinRoll2019 pic.twitter.com/dd0NLPbPpI
— Nadine Wells (@nadinewells) July 14, 2019
WWF doesn’t have much data on what influence capelin behaviour, which is why they created a platform for people to help them with their studies.
Neville says it is helpful for residents and scientists all over Newfoundland and Labrador. She says the tool is great because it will help people plan their trips. If she needs to go take a sample of capelin eggs, she knows where they are.
As well, Neville says if someone is visiting the province and wants to see them, they can use the website to find them.