NOAA Scientists Discover Repeat Spawning in Pacific Capelin

UNITED STATES
Wednesday, August 19, 2026, 03:10 (GMT + 9)

SEATTLE — A landmark scientific study led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has revealed the first biological evidence that Pacific capelin (Mallotus villosus) possesses the physiological capacity to spawn across multiple seasons throughout its lifespan, challenging the historical assumption that the species was strictly semelparous. Cara Rodgveller, lead author of this new study, looks at ovarian tissue from Pacific capelin under a microscope. Credit: NOAA Fisheries Until now, the scientific community assumed that Pacific capelin (Mallotus villosus) shared the same reproductive strategy as Pacific salmon, in which adults undergo a single massive spawning event and die immediately afterward. However, microscopic observations conducted at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center confirmed that a significant proportion of the population ... FULL STORY