Topline: Capelin is still depleted at just 9 per cent of its historical biomass and must be rebuilt for the ocean, marine life and coastal community health. A new reference point that determines the point at which the population can be considered critically depleted has been lowered from 640 to 155 kilotonnes, now placing capelin in the cautious zone. This is in response to an updated science assessment of northern cod and has led to calls from some members of the fishing industry to increase commercial capelin fishing quotas instead of allowing the population to rebuild to the healthy zone.