Integrating genomics, phenotypes and local ecological knowledge towards improving capelin stock management in Canadian Atlantic and Arctic waters

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The objective of this project is to generate new knowledge that will contribute to maintain the long-term sustainability of capelin (Mallotus villosus), which is a species of major importance for communities throughout north-eastern Canadian coastline, both as a food and fishery resource, as well as a keystone species in the food web for other commercial fish, but also many mammals and seabirds. We will rigorously document capelin population structure, biological characteristics and population dynamics in the boreal, subarctic and Arctic regions of eastern Canada, and will document the genetic connectivity between capelin stocks in Canadian and Greenland waters. To achieve these goals, the proposed specific objectives will fully integrate the most recent developments in population genomics (objective 1) with phenotypic information (objective 2) and local ecological knowledge and observatory networks (objective 3). From an applied perspective, this project will integrate knowledge to improve policies and management practices by identifying management units and documenting biological characteristics, distribution, and timing and location of spawning in almost the entire range of capelin distribution, including its most northern range. As such, this project will fill a knowledge gap for stock assessment and management practices throughout this vast area in Eastern Canada. Further, determining whether the Labrador Sea represents a mixing zone of capelin stocks from three regions (Canadian Atlantic & Arctic, western Greenland) might have direct impact on the management of capelin internationally. From a fundamental point of view, the approaches developed will serve as a general model for the identification of biological units in marine ecosystems, where major breakthroughs in the field of population genomics are forcing researchers to reconsider their open nature. Integrating knowledge from multi-disciplinary fields to delineate different stocks will provide a better understanding of the dynamics governing capelin growth, distribution and availability both as a key stone species in marine ecosystems and for fishery exploitation.