Feeding Ecology of Capelin in the Northern Grand Banks

Pelagic forage fishes are an important component of aquatic food webs, transferring energy between mesozooplankton and large vertebrate predators such as piscivorous fishes, birds and mammals. Within the Newfoundland and Labrador shelf, the capelin (Mallotus villosus) population has collapsed during the early 1990s and has not yet recovered. Previous research suggests that bottom-up control explains the lack of recovery. To further explore potential trophic effects driving capelin dynamics, the main objective of this study is to describe the feeding ecology of this key forage species. The research includes the following specific objectives: (1) identifying the key prey taxa and quantifying their contributions to gut content of capelin sampled by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in the autumns of 2008-2012; (2) determining the spatial variation in diet and distribution of Newfoundland capelin stock; and (3) identifying possible environmental factors influencing temporal and spatial variation in diet. By yielding key information on capelin feeding ecology and the nature of trophic interactions among forage species, this research will inform management of the Grand Banks fisheries.