In Europe, which boasts the largest

In Europe, which boasts the largest capelin landings in the world, stocks are assessed very precisely each year. These assessments are made using acoustic surveys and mathematical models that describe ecosystem requirements. Here, the massive territory and low catch volume do not justify such an exhaustive assessment. Historical monitoring of catches and biological data for three fishing areas (see Figure 1) along with the calculation of a dispersion index allow for an assessment of the status of the resource in the St. Lawrence Estuary and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.