The small smelt-family fish that makes seasonal migrations around Iceland and spawns in coastal schools is the capelin. Its scientific name is Mallotus villosus, and it is a major forage fish in the North Atlantic, North Pacific, and Arctic oceans.
Around Iceland, capelin feed in plankton-rich waters between Iceland, Greenland, and Jan Mayen. Mature fish undertake northward feeding migrations in spring and summer, then return toward Iceland from September to November. The spawning migration begins north of Iceland around December or January, with fish moving inshore in large schools.
Capelin are central to marine food webs. Whales, seals, cod, mackerel, squid, and seabirds all prey on them, especially when the fish gather to spawn. They usually mature between two and six years old. Males can reach about 20 centimetres, while females may reach 25.2 centimetres. In some populations, beach-spawning males die soon after reproduction.