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Home , Capelin, Pelagic fish, Smelt (fish)

QL DFO - Library / MPO - Bibliothèque 626 U5313 12064521 no.3 c.2

- 1 Atlantic "Pelagic" Underwater World

Fish that range the open sea are Pelagic species are generally very Atlantic known as " pelagic" species, to dif­ streamlined. They are blue or blue­ ferentiate them from "groundfish" gray over their backs and silvery­ "Pelagic" Fish which feed and dwell near the bot­ white underneath - a form of tom . Feeding mainly in surface or when in the open sea. middle depth waters, They are caught bath in inshore travel mostly in large schools, tu. n­ and offshore waters, principally with ing and manoeuvring in close forma­ mid-water trawls, purse seines, tion with split-second timing in their nets, traps and weirs. quest for and other small species. Best known of the pelagic popula­ tions of Canada's Atlantic are , but others in order of economic importance include sal­ mon, , , bluefin , , , gaspereau and . Sorne pelagic fish, notably and gaspereau, migrate from freshwater to the sea and back again for spawning. Eels migrate in the opposite direction, spawning in sait water but entering freshwater to feed . . Underwater World

Herring comprise more than one­ Herring are processed and mar­ keted in various forms. About half of (Ctupea harengus) fifth of Atlantic Canada's annual catch. They are found all the catch is marketed fresh or as along the northwest Atlantic coast frozen whole dressed fish and fillets, from Cape Hatteras to Hudson one-quarter is cured , including Strait. Herring areas in salted and vinegar-cured, and the Canadian waters include the Bay of rest is either canned, mainly as Fundy, Chedabucto Bay, N.S., the , kippered snacks and fil­ Gulf of St. Lawrence, and along the lets, or used for and oil. northeast and south of New­ foundland. Atlantic herring have a stream­ lined body which is steel-blue or greenish-blue on the back with green reflections. The sides and belly are silvery. The body is very deep but relatively slender and the mouth is large with the lower projecting a little beyond the upper. The tail is deeply forked and there is a single dorsal . The scales are large and loosely attached. Herring may attain a length of 43 centimetres and a weight of .68 kilograms. However, average-sized herring in the catch weigh only about .23 kilograms. Weirs and purse seines are the principal methods of fishing in the Bay of Fundy , which is based on immature herring. Weirs operate during the spring and sum­ mer months and purse seines ac­ count for a considerable portion of the catch in all seasons. The gill net is the major gear used in the spring spawning herring fishery of the Chaleur Bay, North­ umberland Strait and Magdelen Is­ lands. Traps are also important in some areas. The purse seine is the major fishing gear in the later summer-spawning herring fishery of southern Nova Scotia and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 3 Underwater World

Atlantic Salmon are world­ and a small fleshy fin on the back (Salmo salar) renowned as sport fish notable par­ just in front of the tai l. Colour varies ticularly fo r their fighting qualities as with age and stage of development, well as their succulent, delicious pink but when in the sea they are silvery flesh. They are also caught commer­ on the sides and belly. The back cially and command a higher price varies through shades of brown , on the food market than most other green and blue. There are numerous fish . black spots, usually x-shaped, scat­ Reared in freshwater, they migrate tered along the body. to the sea where they live for one or Salmon may weigh up to 28 kilog­ more years ,returning to their native rams but rarely exceed 14 kilograms. streams to . They are found on The average weight in the commer­ both sides of the North Atlantic. On cial catch is 4.5 kilograms. the North American side they range for Atlantic from Ungava Bay to northern New salmon is permitted in some areas England. Most Canadian rivers , in ­ with trap-nets or gill nets. Anglers cluding those flowing into the Gulf of fishing the rivers use rod and line. St. Lawrence, support runs of sal­ Salmon are marketed fresh , fro­ mon. zen or smoked. Like other members of the salmon family, Atlantic salmon have a stout but streamlined body, small scales

Mackerel Mackerel are streamlined swift­ ln Canadian waters mackerel are ( scombrus) swimming fish which migrate fished from the Bay of Fundy to extensively through the open sea. Newfoundland, with best catches They approach the Canadian Atlan­ being made off southwestern Nova tic coast in late May in large schools. Scotia and in the Gulf of St. Lawr­ ln the fall they head out to sea for the ence around the Magdalen Islands, zone of warmer water which flanks Prince Edward Island and Cape Bre­ the outer edge of the Continental ton. Shelf. Their migratory patterns vary About one-third of the mackerel somewhat from year to year as does catch is taken with pu rse seines, their abundance. another third with trap nets and Among the handsomest of fish , weirs, and the balance with pound are easily distin­ nets , gill nets and trawls . guished by the dark, tiger-like strip­ Mackerel are a delicious fish , but ings on the back, the blue and silver do not keep as well as some other body and the small finlets near the species that have less oil in their tail. The scales are very small. They tissue. Salted, smoked and fresh are known to reach a length of 53 mackerel are consumed in large centimetres and to weigh as muchas quantities while salted or pickled 1.8 kilograms. mackerel are widely exported. Small Mackerel populations are found on quantities are canned or used as bait both sides of the North Atlantic for swordfish and . Ocean . On the North American side they are found from Black Island, Labrador, to Cape Hatteras off North Carolina. Underwater World 4

Swordfish derive their name from world. They appear in Canadian At­ Swordfish the swordlike projection on the upper lantic fishing areas in early June and (Xiphias gladius) jaw which may be up to half their full remain until mid-October. length. They grow to a length of Offshore fishermen catch them as nearly 4.5 metres and can weigh far west as the Grand Bank. Once over 450 kilograms, although the taken almost exclusively by harpoon­ dressed weight size in the Canadian ing, they are now caught principally catch ranges anywhere between 18 with floating longlines. and 158 kilograms. Swordfish are marketed in fresh or Adult swordfish are a dark metallic frozen form . Sorne restrictions have blue-purple on the back and upper been placed on swordfish sales to part of the sides, shading to silver­ United States markets because of grey and white on the belly. Notable mercury levels. Marketing is permit­ characteristics include the "sword" ted in Canada but limited consump­ and the absence of both teeth and tion is advised. scales. Migratory by nature, swordfish are widely distributed throughout the tropical and temperate of the

Bluefin Tuna Bluefin tuna are swift wide-ranging such shape, it is not surprising that (Thunnus thynnus) fish which are found on both sides of bluefins are among the swiftest and the Atlantic and visit Canadian wat­ widest ranging fish in the sea. Adult ers in the summer and early fall bluefins are metallic blue with a months. They are known to range greenish sheen on the back, shading from Labrador south to Brazil. through silver on the sides to white ln Canadian waters giant bluefins, on the belly. ln contrast with adults, in excess of 136 kilograms, appear young bluefin have conspicuous in June, and occasionally the smal­ white vertical bars and spots along ler jumpers (23 to 68 kilograms) are the sides which disappear gradually seen in late August or early Sep­ as the fish grow. tember. Bluefin tuna are excellent Bluefins are beautifully stream­ sportfish . ln Canada, only rod and lined fish with a bluntly pointed nose reel fishing for bluefin is permitted, and a robust body that tapers evenly although incidental catches in mac­ from the shoulder region to a long, kerel traps in St. Margaret's Bay, slim tail region. The head has tightly N.S. , may be retained . Most of these closing , fiat gill-covers and latter fish are held in pound nets and set flush with the surrounding fattened to increase their sale value. surfaces. The body is completely Unlike some other tuna species covered with scales, including a cor­ which are usually canned, bluefin selet of large scales in the shoulder tu na go to market mostly in fresh and region. Sorne of the fold into frozen form. grooves or depressions thus giving a smooth contour to the body. With 5 Underwater World

American American eels range along the centimetres in length. The body col­ (Anguilla rostrata) north American coast from the Car­ our tends to vary with the habitat. ribbean to Labrador. Spawned in the They are usually black to olive­ southwest North Atlantic, possibly in brown over the back and yellowish the region of the deep Saragasso white on the belly, and become Sea, they find their way to far silvery at the time of the spawning reaches of coastal rivers and inland migration. lakes. After a stay in freshwater of Although eels are caught com­ about five to 10 years, they return to mercially in all five Atlantic coast their breeding grounds to spawn and provinces, about 70 per cent of the die. They are principally caught on total Canadian catch is in their downstream migration to the along the St. Lawrence River, par­ sea. ticularly between Trois-Rivières and Eels have a long serpentine body Cap Chat. Eels are taken with weirs, and a pointed head. The jaws are traps, long-lines and spears. armed with numerous needlelike The bulk of the catch goes to teeth. Females approaching maturity market as frozen whole fish , and average 70 to 100 centimetres in some are sold fresh or smoked. length and weigh 1.1 to 1.6 kilog­ About two-thirds of the catch is ex­ rams. The males rarely exceed 60 ported .

Smelt Smelt are small fish common Adult smelt accumulate in the river ( mordax) along the Atlantic coast and highly in autumn but do not begin esteemed as food. They are an to move upstream until March. The inshore species which range along commercial fishery begins in late the coast from Labrador to New autumn and continues until late Feb­ Jersey, with the centre of abundance ruary. While some fishing is done in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. with gill nets in open water in Like salmon, smelt leave the sea and November and December, most of it ascend freshwater rivers to spawn. is done with trap nets set under the The bulk of the Canadian catch ice in the estuaries in January and cornes from the bays and estuaries February. A large fishery exists in of rivers flowing into the Gulf of St. the Miramichi in New Lawrence. Brunswick. Smelt look somewhat like diminu­ Smelt are marketed mainly as fro­ tive salmon. lndividuals in the com­ zen whole fish. They are graded to mercial catch range from 10 to 22 size and the biggest demand and the centimetres. They are a translucent best prices are for the large fish . olive-green on the back; the sides are paler with a broad longitudinal silvery band, and the belly is silvery. Fins and body are flecked with tiny dusky dots. Underwater World 6

Gaspereau Gaspereau, also commonly known The gaspereau tishery is carried (A/osa pseudoharengus) as alewives, are members of the on at the time of the spring upstream herring tamily. They are a deep­ migration, principally by means of bodied small tish, grey-green to trap nets and weirs set in the river blue-green over the back and silvery beds. Gill nets and dip nets are also on the sides and belly. Average used. Principal locations are in New length is about 30 centimetres and Brunswick, especially in the average weight slightly over 225 Miramichi, Shubenacadie and Saint grams. John rivers. Gaspereau are found tram New­ The bulk of the commercial catch toundland and the southern portion is sold locally as bait for and of the Gulf of St. Lawrence to North snow tisheries. A smaller por­ Carolina. They are commonly tound tion is marketed as tresh fish for in inshore Atlantic waters in the home consumption. spring when they swarm up coastal rivers to spawn.

Capelin Capelin (or " caplin" as the name is Capelin are tished mainly with (Ma/lotus villosus) spelled in Newfoundland) are small midwater trawls in offshore areas. tish of the high seas closely related During June and July when some to smelt. These slender little tish are head shoreward to spawn on or near a translucent olive-green on the the beaches, they are caught with back, shading to silver on the sides various seines, traps and dipnets. and white over the belly. At maturity Most of the population spawn away they range tram 13 to 20 centimetres tram the coast. in length. During the early part of this cen­ The distribution of capelin is cir­ tury capelin were used extensively cumpolar. They occur in all Arctic for raw tertilizer, for bait in the seas and range southward along the tishery and for dogfood. While still Atlantic coast of North America, oc­ being caught for these uses, capelin casionally as far as the Gulf of are increasingly in demand as Maine. They are extremely abundant human food in tresh, trozen and off Labrador and Newfoundland and canned forms, particularly in Central in the Gulf of St. Lawrence around Europe. Gaspé. 7 Underwater World QL 626 U5313 no.3 c.2 Canada. Dept of F' h . Atl is eri ... antic pelagic fish 624 12064521 c.2

Further read ing: Underwater World factsheets are Leim, A.H. and W.B. Scott. 1966. brief illustrated accounts of fisheries of the Atlantic Coast of rèsources and marine phenomena Canada. Fish . Res. Bd. of prepared for public information and edu­ Canada Bull. No . 155. cation. They describe the lite history, Templeman, W. 1966. Marine re­ geographic distribution, utilization and population status of fish, shellfish and sources of Newfoundland. Fish. other living mari ne resou rces, and/ or the Res . Bd . of Canada Bull. No. nature, origin and impact of marine pro­ 154. cesses and phenomena. Pinhorn, A. 1976. Living marine re­ sources of Newfoundland­ Text: Labrador: status and potential. Communications Branch Fish. Res. Bd. of Canada Bull. Department of Fisheries and Oceans No. 194. Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0E6 Hare, G.M. 1977. Atlas of the major Atlantic coast fish and inverteb­ Published by: Communications Branch rate resources adjacent to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada-United States boundary Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0E6 areas. Fish. Res. Bd. of Canada Tech . Rept. 681. UW80/003E Anon . 1980. Resource Prospects for © Minister of Supply and Services Canada 1980 Canada's Atlantic Fisheries, Cat. No. Fs 41-33/3-1 980E 1980-85. Communications Br., ISBN 0-662-11157-5 Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans.

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