Bellevue Beach Capelin Larval Surface Tow Data 2001-2021

2001-2021 data from five fixed sites at Bellevue Beach inshore area, sampled with surface plankton tows during capelin larval emergence in July and August. This larval index is a fishery-independent metric used in capelin stock assessments, with sampling conducted every 24-72 hours for 6-8 weeks each summer.

Use Cases

• Analyze larval emergence timing and density from surface tow data to inform capelin stock assessment models.
• Model interannual variability in larval index data from the five fixed sites to assess environmental impacts on recruitment.
• Correlate surface tow sampling frequency (every 24-72 hours) with larval abundance patterns to optimize fishery-independent monitoring.

Strengths

• Provides a 21-year time series (2001-2021) of fishery-independent larval data.
• Data collected from five fixed sampling sites, enabling spatial comparison.
• Sampling conducted at high frequency (every 24-72 hours) during the 6-8 week emergence period each summer.

Limitations

• Specific data dimensions (rows, columns) and file size are unknown, complicating project planning.
• Data is limited to the Bellevue Beach inshore area, which may not represent broader capelin populations.
• The dataset's structure and available variables are not described, limiting immediate analytical utility.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Collection Method

Surface plankton tows at five fixed sites during summer larval emergence.

Time Range

2001 to 2021

Freshness

Data covers up to 2021, with metadata last updated in March 2026.

Geography

Bellevue Beach inshore area, Canada