Long-Term Dynamics Of Capelin Feeding In The Barents Sea And Decisive Factors

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Long-term data on capelin feeding are used to study the dependence of capelin feeding on stock size and structure, distribution pattern and food supply in the cold (1976-1982) and warm (2001-2004) periods. Special attention is paid to size- and age-related features of capelin feeding associated with food abundance and availability, duration of feeding and food competition. It is shown that capelin prefer larger food objects which do not always dominate in plankton. It is concluded that capelin feed most efficiently (reaching up to 12-18% fatness) on the abundant, especially in warm years, food resources of the northern Barents Sea, including Arctic species of larger copepods (Calanus glacialis, Calanus hyperboreus) which are characterised by a high content of lipids.