RESTORE CAPELIN ABUNDANCE - Oceana Canada

RESTORE CAPELIN ABUNDANCE

CRITICALLY DEPLETED CAPELIN ARE BEING OVERFISHED

Protect capelin abundance

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Overview

Protecting capelin, a small but vitally important forage fish, from overfishing and restoring their abundance to the northeast Newfoundland and Labrador ocean ecosystem.

ADD YOUR VOICE TO HELP CLOSE THE CAPELIN FISHERY >>>

Capelin are a small schooling fish found off the coast across the north Atlantic. These tiny fish are inextricably linked to the ecosystem of northeast Newfoundland and Labrador, transferring energy through the food web and supporting many species such as humpback whales, cod and puffins.

Capelin have been critically depleted for nearly 30 years. Despite the failure of the capelin population to recover from a collapsed state, a commercial fishery is still allowed to operate. The fishery targets the eggs of female capelin, meaning that not only are adults removed from the population, but the next generation is lost too.

 

This is government-sanctioned overfishing, and it has to stop.

84% of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians support pausing the commercial fishery until the population can recover. Capelin provide an essential connection to the ocean for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, from providing an ecosystem service by feeding the iconic cod population to being an inherent part of Newfoundland and Labrador culture and heritage.  Oceana Canada wants to see capelin recover and rebound. They are too important for us to let them disappear.

It’s time to listen to the people.

We are calling on Fisheries and Oceans Canada to immediately close the commercial capelin fishery, until measures are put in place to allow the population to recover.

Take Action

Close the commercial capelin fishery

Tell the government to follow the science, listen to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and close the commercial capelin fishery!

Sign the petition

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