| Summary: | During November and December investigations on capelin distribution and abundance were carried out in the Barents Sea. The area north to lat. 77º 5O'N. between Hope Island and long. 44º E was covered. Capelin were recorded over a large part of the investigated area. The immature part of the stock was distributed in the northern and western area, mainly north of lat. 74°N. Mature capelin were mainly located south of lat. 74º N, between the Central Bank and the Skolpen Bank. The western limit of these recordings was approximately at long. 34º E. The southeastern limit was not located. Immature and mature capelin were recorded in two separated layers, the first one located mainly in 50 m depth and the latter in 100-150 m. Capelin were found in water temperature between 0 and 3.5°C. Water temperatures were somewhat higher than within the same area one year earlier, and this caused the capelin distribution to be slightly more easterly. Echo recordings of capelin made during this survey represented 70 mill. hl but the whole stock was definitely not recorded. Of these , 25 —30 mill, hi were found to be mature which consisted mainly of the 1969 year-class.
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