Dogfish!

Squalus acanthias

Squalus acanthias, or the Spiny Dogfish, is a species very important to our gill net research.  Despite the name, Dogfish are a species of small shark that are commonly found between 50-149 m, but have been observed venturing below depths of 700m.  This species has a venomous spine in front of each dorsal fin, thus the term "spiny."  The fishermen we work with use gill nets to catch these fish, which they then sell sell to a growing regional and overseas market.  In Europe, Dogfish is often served as fish & chips.


Dogfish are a migratory species.  They spend the winters in offshore southern waters, and move north for the summer months. Despite their relatively small size (3-4 ft),  Dogfish are aggressive and are commonly observed relentlessly pursuing prey.  The name "Dogfish" arose from the species' habit to hunt in packs.  Groups of hundreds or thousands sweep through an area and feed on the fish, crabs, shrimp, squid, and other invertebrates in front of them.  

Spiny Dogfish are believed to have the longest gestation period of any vertebrate, 20-22 months.  This coupled with the fact individuals don't reach sexual maturity until they are ~20 years old, creates a precarious situation if the species is overfished.  The long gestation and high age-at-maturity means if the population declines significantly, it will be hard to bring numbers back.  Luckily, stocks have been managed since the 80's, and the species is being fished responsibly.

Me holding a Spiny Dogfish caught in 2016

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more info!