Every summer, small fish called capelin come ashore in Newfoundland and Labrador to spawn, and then generally die. Usually, this natural phenomenon occurs in early June, but over the past few years, this has been pushed back to late June, July and sometimes even August. Many researchers blame climate change and overfishing for this shift. Most of the time, this event occurs simultaneously with cold and foggy weather-otherwise known in Newfoundland as “capelin weather.”
The capelin coming in is a very exciting and well-anticipated time. Sometimes, the capelin are so plentiful that the water turns black and silver and thousands wash up with each wave. People flock to the beaches with dip nets and five-gallon buckets to catch them. Kids run around screaming, trying to pick up the slippery fish to put them in their buckets. People enjoy eating the capelin in a variety of ways- fried, dried, smoked- and others use them as fertilizer for their gardens. No matter how many times you have experienced the capelin rolling, it never gets old. I took my Polish friend to the beach one year while this was happening and she had such a great time! We waded out in the icy water in our bare feet and watched the capelin swimming around us and brushing up against us. She was amazed.
A few times, I had taken my kayak out and paddled over the schools of capelin just to experience the event in a different way. The size and depth of the schools are pretty wild! Last year, I missed the capelin coming in, but weeks after, while out in my kayak, I paddled over the biggest school that I have ever come across. It was very exciting to see! I guess this group was not of the age to spawn.