Atlantic Spiny Dogfish
Atlantic Spiny Dogfish
Squalus acanthias
Quick Facts
Spiny dogfish
Spiny dogfish
About the Species
The Atlantic spiny dogfish fishery operates from Maine to Florida and from inshore to offshore waters on the edge of the continental shelf. The spiny dogfish fishery uses predominantly bottom gillnets, with lesser amounts caught by trawls and hook gear. There is little consumer demand for spiny dogfish in the United States, but it is commonly used in Europe as the fish in 'fish and chips.' U.S. wild-caught Atlantic spiny dogfish is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. Implementing regulations are found at 50 CFR part 648 subpart L.
Population
Below target population levels.
Fishing Rate
At recommended levels.
Habitat Impacts
Area closures and gear restrictions protect habitats affected by some kinds of trawl gear.
Bycatch
Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch.
Population Status
- According to the 2018 stock assessment, Atlantic spiny dogfish are not overfished and are not subject to overfishing. Summary stock assessment information can be found on Stock SMART.
- Scientists project that the number of mature females may decline somewhat in the coming years due to the low number of pups born during the 1990s when spiny dogfish were heavily fished. This potential decline is not expected to result in the stock becoming overfished.
Appearance
- Spiny dogfish are slim, with a narrow, pointed snout and characteristic white spots.
- They are gray above and white below.
- They have two dorsal fins with ungrooved large spines.
- Males grow up to 3.3 feet, and females grow up to 4 feet.
Biology
- Like all sharks, dogfish grow slowly, mature late in life, and live a long time (35 to 40 years).
- Females grow larger and mature later than males—they’re first able to reproduce at age 12 compared to males at age 6.
- They spawn in winter in offshore waters.
- Females have between two and 12 eggs per spawning season. The eggs are fertilized internally and, after a gestation period of 18 to 24 months, female dogfish bear live young (an average of six pups).
- They are opportunistic feeders, preying on whatever is most available.
- Smaller spiny dogfish tend to feed primarily on crustaceans, while larger dogfish like to eat jellyfish, squid, and schooling fish.
- Dogfish are preyed upon by cod, red hake, goosefish, other spiny dogfish, larger sharks, seals, and orcas.
Where They Live
- Spiny dogfish are found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans, mostly in the temperate and subarctic areas. In the Northwest Atlantic, they are found from Labrador to Florida and are most abundant between Nova Scotia and Cape Hatteras.
Fishery Management
- NOAA Fisheries, the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils, and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission manage the Atlantic spiny dogfish fishery.
- The Mid-Atlantic Council leads the joint management of the Spiny Dogfish Fishery Management Plan:
- Fishermen must have a permit to harvest spiny dogfish.
- Annual catch limits and a commercial quota are set.
- Trip limits used to control the catch rate.
- The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission implements the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Spiny Dogfish in state waters, establishing complementary regulations to the federal regulations.
Harvest
- In 2020, commercial landings of spiny dogfish in the Atlantic totaled more than 16.7 million pounds, and were valued at more than $3.6 million, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database. These figures may not match other agency sources of data due to confidential information. The majority of the harvest was landed in Massachusetts and Virginia.
- The U.S. commercial fishery supplies European markets that use dogfish for fish and chips in England, and as a popular beer garden snack called shillerlocken in Germany.
- Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch:
- Atlantic spiny dogfish are targeted by gillnet and longline vessels, mainly in state waters.
- They are often caught incidentally in trawl, gillnet, and longline fisheries for groundfish species.
- Trawls can impact habitat, depending on where they are used.
- Managers have implemented a variety of measures for groundfish trawl fisheries to protect habitat, including closing some areas to fishing and modifying fishing gear to reduce contact with habitat.
- Trawl and gillnet fisheries for groundfish can incidentally catch other fish and marine mammals (such as large whales, harbor porpoises, bottlenose dolphins) and sea turtles. Restrictions on gear and fishing effort in these fisheries reduce these interactions.
Featured News
Highflyers, part of the fishing gear, are stored onboard in between fishing efforts. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Dave McElroy
Spiny dogfish have little consumer demand in the U.S. They are a major seafood export to Europe, where they are commonly used as the fish in "fish and chips".
Commercial Fishing Regulations
Possession and Size Requirements
The federal commercial trip limit for spiny dogfish is 7,500 lb. Only one trip may be made each calendar day.
There are no fish size limits in the spiny dogfish.
Note: Individual states may set more restrictive possession limits. Please check with your state fisheries agency.
Current Spiny Dogfish Specifications (May 1, 2022–April 30, 2023)
| Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) | 38.58 million lb |
|---|---|
| Annual Catch Limit (ACL) | 38.48 million lb |
| Commercial Quota | 29.56 million lb |
Reporting A Commercial Catch
Catch Reporting and Vessel Trip Reports (VTR)
Owners/operators of vessels holding a federal bluefish permit must submit VTRs electronically. For more information about trip reporting, and to see a list of approved eVTR software applications, please visit the Greater Atlantic Region vessel trip reporting page.
Vessel Monitoring System (VMS)
The commercial spiny dogfish fishery does not specifically require VMS. However, vessels must abide by Northeast multispecies, scallop, or monkfish regulations if fishing on a day-at-sea (DAS) for one of those fisheries. Unless fishing on a Northeast multispecies sector trip, a vessel holding a federal fishing permit that requires an operating VMS must declare ‘out of fishery’ (DOF) through their VMS before starting a trip to fish for, possess, or land spiny dogfish in an exempted area or fishery not requiring a DAS.
Other Reporting Information
The commercial spiny dogfish fishery does not have any Interactive Voice Response (IVR) or specific observer requirements. However, vessels must abide by Northeast multispecies, scallop, or monkfish regulations if fishing on a DAS for one of those fisheries. Additionally, all federally permitted vessels are obligated to carry an observer if randomly selected by the National Observer Program.
Commercial Gear Information
In general, unless exempted, spiny dogfish vessels fishing in federal waters are subject Northeast multispecies (groundfish) regulations, regardless of whether or not they also have a NE multispecies permit. Under these regulations, there are four regulated mesh areas (RMA) that control the gear that can be used in each area (see map): Gulf of Maine (GOM); Georges Bank (GB); Southern New England (SNE); and Mid-Atlantic (MA).
Within these RMAs, vessels fishing with gillnets and trawl gear must abide by the minimum mesh sizes required by the NE multispecies regulations. This consists of essentially a 6.5-inch minimum mesh size for square of diamond mesh for both trawl and gillnet gear in all RMAs. In the gillnet fishery, nets may not be longer than 300 ft / 91.4 m / 50 fathoms in length.
Vessels holding a limited access Northeast multispecies permit, and not on a Northeast multispecies sector trip, must also comply with the Northeast multispecies Restricted Gear Areas (RGAs). More information on RGAs can be found on our Northeast multispecies pages and regulations.
More information on the gears allowed and involved with spiny dogfish fishery exemptions can be found on the Exempted Fishing tab on this page.
In addition to the gear requirements above, protected species requirements may also apply, depending on the season and area being fished.
Science Overview
The most recent stock assessment for Atlantic spiny dogfish was in 2011, where the stock was declared not overfished and overfishing was not occurring. The next assessment for spiny dogfish is scheduled for 2021.
Research, Surveys, and Data
Spiny Dogfish Stock Status Based on Most Recent (2011) Stock Assessment
| Biomass (B) | 475 million lb (2012) |
|---|---|
| BMSY Proxy | 351 million lb |
| B / ½ BMSY Proxy | 2.71 |
| Overfished Definition | The stock is overfished when B < ½ BMSY |
| Overfished? | No |
| Fishing Mortality Rate (F) | 0.114 (2011) |
| FMSY | 0.467 |
| F/FMSY | 0.2439 |
| Overfishing Definition | Overfishing occurs when F > FMSY |
| Overfishing? | No |
| Current Rebuilding Program? | No. Spiny Dogfish stock declared rebuilt in 2010 |
| Next Stock Assessment | Benchmark assessment scheduled for 2021 |
