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Spiny dogfish are one of the most widely distributed sharks, inhabiting temperate waters of both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Abundant along both sides of the United States, spiny dogfish are generally harvested incidentally in fisheries for other species as domestic demand is low. Spiny dogfish have a sweet, mild flavor and are more valuable in European markets.

Atlantic Spiny Dogfish

Atlantic Spiny Dogfish

Spiny dogfish were once an “underutilized” species in the United States with relatively minor value to the domestic fisheries of the East Coast. This changed as traditional groundfish resources declined and international markets opened after a rapid decline in European dogfish stocks. Most fishermen targeted larger - primarily female - dogfish which led to a significant population decline. To rebuild the stock, managers set an annual catch limit and a limit on how much dogfish fishermen could harvest during a single fishing trip. In 2010, NOAA Fisheries announced that the spiny dogfish stock had been rebuilt.

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Pacific Spiny Dogfish

Pacific Spiny Dogfish

Along the West Coast and Alaska, spiny dogfish are mostly caught as bycatch in fisheries of more commercially important species. Many fishermen throw them back due to their low value. Even though harvests are minimal, managers still limit the amount of spiny dogfish that can be harvested as a precaution against overfishing.

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