Catching Capelin

"Catching Capelin" 1908 [Va 118-100.3]
International Grenfell Association Photograph Collection
Courtesy of: The Rooms Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador: Archives Division

One of the great things about Newfoundland is that you can gather free food from so many places. While it's a rough go getting much to grow here, besides root vegetables, Newfoundland is rich with berries, edible plants, fish and game. My mother and father grew up in Lethbridge, a small community in Bonavista Bay and I'd spend my summers picking blueberries, cherries and rhubarb. I have memories of my Nan Penney picking little "sweet leaves" and chewing on them, handing them to me and nodding a "yes, go ahead maid, it won't kill ya", as I popped the new treat in my mouth. I'd venture into the woods to set rabbit snares with my cousin Mitch and in the fall of the year we'd pick crabapples, cracking up laughing when someone got a really bitter one and one of us would shout, "Sure look at the face on you!"

"Two Children in Garden Eating Rhubarb" 1932 [Va 92-188]
International Grenfell Association Photograph Collection
Courtesy of: The Rooms Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador: Archives Division

The other day I went to get some capelin with my sister, Robyn, and our friend Maggie. Capelin are a small fish that "roll" onto beaches in the millions in late June or early July. If you live in St. John's, the usual spot to get your capelin is Middle Cove Beach, and people turn up in the thousands. Despite the awful traffic and parking, I was so impressed with the sense of community at the beach.  First of all, the capelin weren't rolling right in, without nets you just couldn't get anything. So in pure Newfoundland fashion, a few locals came down to the beach with their nets, just to haul up the capelin for everyone else. Folks were helping each other gather the little squirmy fish and we helped an older lady fill three buckets, to the joy of her husband who grumbled, "Sure, I don't know what I brought you for anyway Vera, with that hip on you!" In all directions you could hear the squeals of little children, as they grabbed for the gooey creatures that danced out of their chubby fingers, "How many can you hold at a time?! I can hold, like twenty!"

Middle Cove Beach, Newfoundland. 2014

Middle Cove Beach, Newfoundland. 2014

Capelin
Middle Cove Beach, Newfoundland. 2014

Maggie and Robyn with our bucket of capelin
P.S: we don't eat them raw!

After all was said and done, we got our feed of capelin and had a grand time. So, what do you do with the capelin once you get them? Here's a great video by Bob Kelland that shows you just that! Enjoy!