Wintering. This is the concept of slowing down and turning inward in the winter. A friend recently shared a poem about this with me that reminded me of the reason for wintering — springing!

The slowing down, pulling in and conserving of energy is all in an effort to be ready for the coming spring, even when it seems far away in the dark depths of winter. Trees lose their leaves, animals bed down and make nests, and some even hibernate. Many humans have that tendency as well, using indoor time to read, research or reorganize for the coming more active outdoor season.

Wintering also happens in the ocean. Creatures hunker down, sometimes digging a muddy burrow or finding a hollow in the rocks to slow down and weather the cold. Under the water, the temperature is warmer as you get deeper in the winter — the reverse of summertime’s warm surface — which often leads ocean animals to find winter homes farther offshore. Maine’s fishermen know this well as they shift gear to deeper water farther from the coast. Ocean creatures in the Northeast Atlantic are well adapted to slow their metabolism as temperatures cool, maintaining enough reserve of energy to last longer in these deep, dark periods.

Saturday is the darkest day of the year, or the shortest day, to be precise. It is the winter solstice, which literally means “sun stands still.” Its stillness is a pivotal point, before which days get shorter and after which they get longer. This is a welcome pivot as temperatures drop to at least have more sun to brighten the days. It seems a bit ironic that, as we finally get more sunlight, we also officially begin the season of winter, as you might otherwise think that winter’s coming would bring increasing darkness rather than increasing light. It is this increase in light that is so important as a signal to the natural world to not just hunker down but also to prepare.

While I knew a bit about the slowing down of ocean creatures in the winter months, it wasn’t until my friend’s reminder of the preparatory purpose of wintering that I learned how ocean creatures make preparations for spring. Light is not only a trigger for living things on land but also for those under water. The increasing day length sends a message that springtime means spawning. Hormone production is triggered, which leads to development over the winter in preparation for reproduction. Winter is a vital time for marine life to rest and then rejuvenate.

As we celebrate the winter solstice this weekend, and as we approach the start of a new year, think of the creatures above and below the water using this time to start anew each in their own way.

Susan Olcott is the director of strategic partnerships at Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association.