NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-150

Essential Fish Habitat Source Document:

Spiny Dogfish, Squalus acanthias,

Life History and Habitat Characteristics

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Marine Fisheries Service

Northeast Region

Northeast Fisheries Science Center

Woods Hole, Massachusetts

September 1999
Recent Issues

105. Review of American Lobster (Homarus americanus) Habitat Requirements and Responses to Contaminant Exposures.

By Renee Mercaldo-Allen and Catherine A. Kuropat. July 1994. v + 52 p., 29 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB96-115555.

106. Selected Living Resources, Habitat Conditions, and Human Perturbations of the Gulf of Maine: Environmental and

Ecological Considerations for Fishery Management. By Richard W. Langton, John B. Pearce, and Jon A. Gibson, eds.

August 1994. iv + 70 p., 2 figs., 6 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB95-270906.

107. Invertebrate Neoplasia: Initiation and Promotion Mechanisms -- Proceedings of an International Workshop, 23 June

1992, Washington, D.C. By A. Rosenfield, F.G. Kern, and B.J. Keller, comps. & eds. September 1994. v + 31 p., 8 figs.,

3 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB96-164801.

108. Status of Fishery Resources off the Northeastern United States for 1994. By Conservation and Utilization Division,

Northeast Fisheries Science Center. January 1995. iv + 140 p., 71 figs., 75 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB95-263414.

109. Proceedings of the Symposium on the Potential for Development of Aquaculture in Massachusetts: 15-17 February 1995,

Chatham/Edgartown/Dartmouth, Massachusetts. By Carlos A. Castro and Scott J. Soares, comps. & eds. January 1996.

v + 26 p., 1 fig., 2 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB97-103782.

110. Length-Length and Length-Weight Relationships for 13 Shark Species from the Western North Atlantic. By Nancy E.

Kohler, John G. Casey, Patricia A. Turner. May 1996. iv + 22 p., 4 figs., 15 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB97-135032.

111. Review and Evaluation of the 1994 Experimental Fishery in Closed Area II on Georges Bank. By Patricia A. Gerrior,

Fredric M. Serchuk, Kathleen C. Mays, John F. Kenney, and Peter D. Colosi. October 1996. v + 52 p., 24 figs., 20 tables. NTIS

Access. No. PB98-119159.

112. Data Description and Statistical Summary of the 1983-92 Cost-Earnings Data Base for Northeast U.S. Commercial

Fishing Vessels: A Guide to Understanding and Use of the Data Base. By Amy B. Gautam and Andrew W. Kitts. December

1996. v + 21 p., 11 figs., 14 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB97-169320.

113. Individual Vessel Behavior in the Northeast Otter Trawl Fleet during 1982-92. By Barbara Pollard Rountree. August 1997.

v + 50 p., 1 fig., 40 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB99-169997.

114. U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Marine Mammal Stock Assessments -- 1996. By Gordon T. Waring, Debra L. Palka, Keith

D. Mullin, James H.W. Hain, Larry J. Hansen, and Kathryn D. Bisack. October 1997. viii + 250 p., 42 figs., 47 tables. NTIS

Access. No. PB98-112345.

115. Status of Fishery Resources off the Northeastern United States for 1998. By Stephen H. Clark, ed. September 1998. vi

+ 149 p., 70 figs., 80 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB99-129694.

116. U.S. Atlantic Marine Mammal Stock Assessments -- 1998. By Gordon T. Waring, Debra L. Palka, Phillip J. Clapham, Steven

Swartz, Marjorie C. Rossman, Timothy V.N. Cole, Kathryn D. Bisack, and Larry J. Hansen. February 1999. vii + 182 p., 16

figs., 56 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB99-134140.

117. Review of Distribution of the Long-finned Pilot Whale (Globicephala melas) in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean.

By Alan A. Abend and Tim D. Smith. April 1999. vi + 22 p., 14 figs., 3 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB99-165029.

118. Tautog (Tautoga onitis) Life History and Habitat Requirements. By Frank W. Steimle and Patricia A. Shaheen. May 1999.

vi + 23 p., 1 fig., 1 table. NTIS Access. No. PB99-165011.

119. Data Needs for Economic Analysis of Fishery Management Regulations. By Andrew W. Kitts and Scott R. Steinback.

August 1999. iv + 48 p., 10 figs., 22 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB99-171456.

120. Marine Mammal Research Program of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center during 1990-95. By Janeen M. Quintal and

Tim D. Smith. September 1999. v + 28 p., 4 tables, 4 app. NTIS Access. No. PB2000-100809.
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

William Daley, Secretary

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

D. James Baker, Administrator

National Marine Fisheries Service

Penelope D. Dalton, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries

Northeast Region

Northeast Fisheries Science Center

Woods Hole, Massachusetts

September 1999

Essential Fish Habitat Source Document:

Spiny Dogfish, Squalus acanthias,

Life History and Habitat Characteristics

Donald G. McMillan and Wallace W. Morse

National Marine Fisheries Serv., James J. Howard Marine Sciences Lab., 74 Magruder Rd., Highlands, NJ 07732

This series represents a secondary level of scientifiic publishing. All issues employ

thorough internal scientific review; some issues employ external scientific review.

Reviews are -- by design -- transparent collegial reviews, not anonymous peer reviews.

All issues may be cited in formal scientific communications.

NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-150
Editorial Notes on Issues 122-152

in the

NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE Series

Editorial Production

For Issues 122-152, staff of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center's (NEFSC's) Ecosystems Processes Division have

largely assumed the role of staff of the NEFSC's Editorial Office for technical and copy editing, type composition, and

page layout. Other than the four covers (inside and outside, front and back) and first two preliminary pages, all preprinting

editorial production has been performed by, and all credit for such production rightfully belongs to, the authors and

acknowledgees of each issue, as well as those noted below in "Special Acknowledgments."

Special Acknowledgments

David B. Packer, Sara J. Griesbach, and Luca M. Cargnelli coordinated virtually all aspects of the preprinting editorial

production, as well as performed virtually all technical and copy editing, type composition, and page layout, of Issues

122-152. Rande R. Cross, Claire L. Steimle, and Judy D. Berrien conducted the literature searching, citation checking,

and bibliographic styling for Issues 122-152. Joseph J. Vitaliano produced all of the food habits figures in Issues 122-

152.

Internet Availability

Issues 122-152 are being copublished, i.e., both as paper copies and as web postings. All web postings are, or will soon

be, available at: www.nefsc.nmfs.gov/nefsc/habitat/efh. Also, all web postings will be in "PDF" format.

Information Updating

By federal regulation, all information specific to Issues 122-152 must be updated at least every five years. All official

updates will appear in the web postings. Paper copies will be reissued only when and if new information associated with

Issues 122-152 is significant enough to warrant a reprinting of a given issue. All updated and/or reprinted issues will retain

the original issue number, but bear a "Revised (Month Year)" label.

Species Names

The NMFS Northeast Regions policy on the use of species names in all technical communications is generally to follow

the American Fisheries Societys lists of scientific and common names for fishes (i.e., Robins et al. 1991a), mollusks (i.e.,

Turgeon et al. 1998b

), and decapod crustaceans (i.e., Williams et al. 1989c), and to follow the Society for Marine

Mammalogy's guidance on scientific and common names for marine mammals (i.e., Rice 1998d). Exceptions to this policy

occur when there are subsequent compelling revisions in the classifications of species, resulting in changes in the names

of species (e.g., Cooper and Chapleau 1998e

).

a

Robins, C.R. (chair); Bailey, R.M.; Bond, C.E.; Brooker, J.R.; Lachner, E.A.; Lea, R.N.; Scott, W.B. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes

from the United States and Canada. 5th ed. Amer. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 20; 183 p.

b

Turgeon, D.D. (chair); Quinn, J.F., Jr.; Bogan, A.E.; Coan, E.V.; Hochberg, F.G.; Lyons, W.G.; Mikkelsen, P.M.; Neves, R.J.; Roper, C.F.E.;

Rosenberg, G.; Roth, B.; Scheltema, A.; Thompson, F.G.; Vecchione, M.; Williams, J.D. 1998. Common and scientific names of aquatic

invertebrates from the United States and Canada: mollusks. 2nd ed. Amer. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 26; 526 p.

c

Williams, A.B. (chair); Abele, L.G.; Felder, D.L.; Hobbs, H.H., Jr.; Manning, R.B.; McLaughlin, P.A.; Pérez Farfante, I. 1989. Common and

scientific names of aquatic invertebrates from the United States and Canada: decapod crustaceans. Amer. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 17; 77 p.

d

Rice, D.W. 1998. Marine mammals of the world: systematics and distribution. Soc. Mar. Mammal. Spec. Publ. 4; 231 p.

e

Cooper, J.A.; Chapleau, F. 1998. Monophyly and interrelationships of the family Pleuronectidae (Pleuronectiformes), with a revised classification.

Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 96:686-726.
Page iii

FOREWORD

One of the greatest long-term threats to the viability of

commercial and recreational fisheries is the continuing

loss of marine, estuarine, and other aquatic habitats.

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and

Management Act (October 11, 1996)

The long-term viability of living marine resources

depends on protection of their habitat.

NMFS Strategic Plan for Fisheries

Research (February 1998)

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and

Management Act (MSFCMA), which was reauthorized

and amended by the Sustainable Fisheries Act (1996),

requires the eight regional fishery management councils to

describe and identify essential fish habitat (EFH) in their

respective regions, to specify actions to conserve and

enhance that EFH, and to minimize the adverse effects of

fishing on EFH. Congress defined EFH as “those waters

and substrate necessary to fish for spawning, breeding,

feeding or growth to maturity.” The MSFCMA requires

NMFS to assist the regional fishery management councils

in the implementation of EFH in their respective fishery

management plans.

NMFS has taken a broad view of habitat as the area

used by fish throughout their life cycle. Fish use habitat

for spawning, feeding, nursery, migration, and shelter, but

most habitats provide only a subset of these functions.

Fish may change habitats with changes in life history

stage, seasonal and geographic distributions, abundance,

and interactions with other species. The type of habitat,

as well as its attributes and functions, are important for

sustaining the production of managed species.

The Northeast Fisheries Science Center compiled the

available information on the distribution, abundance, and

habitat requirements for each of the species managed by

the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management

Councils. That information is presented in this series of

30 EFH species reports (plus one consolidated methods

report). The EFH species reports comprise a survey of the

important literature as well as original analyses of fisheryJAMES J. HOWARD MARINE SCIENCES LABORATORY

HIGHLANDS, NEW JERSEY

SEPTEMBER 1999

independent data sets from NMFS and several coastal

states. The species reports are also the source for the

current EFH designations by the New England and MidAtlantic Fishery Management Councils, and have

understandably begun to be referred to as the “EFH source

documents.”

NMFS provided guidance to the regional fishery

management councils for identifying and describing EFH

of their managed species. Consistent with this guidance,

the species reports present information on current and

historic stock sizes, geographic range, and the period and

location of major life history stages. The habitats of

managed species are described by the physical, chemical,

and biological components of the ecosystem where the

species occur. Information on the habitat requirements is

provided for each life history stage, and it includes, where

available, habitat and environmental variables that control

or limit distribution, abundance, growth, reproduction,

mortality, and productivity.

Identifying and describing EFH are the first steps in

the process of protecting, conserving, and enhancing

essential habitats of the managed species. Ultimately,

NMFS, the regional fishery management councils, fishing

participants, Federal and state agencies, and other

organizations will have to cooperate to achieve the habitat

goals established by the MSFCMA.

A historical note: the EFH species reports effectively

recommence a series of reports published by the NMFS

Sandy Hook (New Jersey) Laboratory (now formally

known as the James J. Howard Marine Sciences

Laboratory) from 1977 to 1982. These reports, which

were formally labeled as Sandy Hook Laboratory

Technical Series Reports, but informally known as “Sandy

Hook Bluebooks,” summarized biological and fisheries

data for 18 economically important species. The fact that

the bluebooks continue to be used two decades after their

publication persuaded us to make their successors – the 30

EFH source documents – available to the public through

publication in the NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFSNE series.

JEFFREY N. CROSS, CHIEF

ECOSYSTEMS PROCESSES DIVISION

NORTHEAST FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER
Page v

Contents

Introduction...............................................................................................................................................................................................1

Life History ...............................................................................................................................................................................................1

Habitat Characteristics ..............................................................................................................................................................................2

Geographical Distribution.........................................................................................................................................................................2

Status of the Stocks ...................................................................................................................................................................................3

Research Needs .........................................................................................................................................................................................4

Acknowledgments.....................................................................................................................................................................................4

References Cited .......................................................................................................................................................................................4

Tables

Table 1. Estimates of spiny dogfish size at 50% maturity for females from 1944 to 1993....................................................................6

Table 2. Summary of life history and habitat characteristics for spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias......................................................7

Table 3. Distribution and relative abundance of spiny dogfish in North Atlantic and Mid-Atlantic estuaries by salinity zone ............8

Figures

Figure 1. The spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias (from Goode 1884) .....................................................................................................9

Figure 2. Distribution and abundance of spiny dogfish in the northwest Atlantic Ocean during 1975-1994 .......................................10

Figure 3. Abundance of the major items in the diet of spiny dogfish collected during NEFSC bottom trawl surveys .........................11

Figure 4. Seasonal distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult spiny dogfish collected during NEFSC bottom trawl surveys ..12

Figure 5. Abundance of spiny dogfish relative to bottom temperature and depth based on NEFSC bottom trawl surveys..................14

Figure 6. Distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult spiny dogfish in Massachusetts coastal waters........................................15

Figure 7. Abundance of spiny dogfish relative to bottom water temperature and depth based on Massachusetts trawl surveys..........16

Figure 8. Distribution and abundance of spiny dogfish in Long Island Sound from the Connecticut bottom trawl surveys................17

Figure 9. Distribution and abundance of spiny dogfish in the Hudson-Raritan estuary based on Hudson-Raritan trawl surveys ........18

Figure 10. Commercial landings and NEFSC trawl survey indices of spiny dogfish, 1963-1996 ..........................................................19
Page 1

INTRODUCTION

The spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias (Figure 1), is a

coastal squaloid shark with a circumboreal distribution.

In addition to being the most abundant shark in the

western North Atlantic, it is also one of the most highly

migratory species (Bigelow and Schroeder 1953). Dogfish

range from Labrador to Florida, but are most abundant

from Nova Scotia to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina

(Figure 2) (Rago et al. 1994).

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council

adopted a draft Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for

spiny dogfish in August 1998. The management unit in

this FMP is the entire spiny dogfish population along the

Atlantic coast of the United States (MAFMC 1998). The

objective of this Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) source

document is to provide a summary of the life history,

habitat characteristics, geographical distribution, status of

the stock, and research needs for spiny dogfish.

LIFE HISTORY

JUVENILES AND ADULTS

Estimates of the length when 50% of spiny dogfish

females are mature have varied temporally and

geographically (Table 1). For the purpose of this

document, the median lengths at which 50% of individuals

are mature are 83 cm for females and 60 cm for males.

Spiny dogfish school by size until they mature and

then they school by size and sex. (Templeman 1944;

Bigelow and Schroeder 1953; Saulson 1982; Nammack et

al. 1985; Marques da Silva 1993; Rago et al. 1994).

Schools are often composed of very large, mature females;

medium-sized individuals, either all mature males or all

immature females; or small immature individuals of both

sexes in equal numbers (Bigelow and Schroeder 1953).

REPRODUCTION

Fertilization takes place internally and development is

ovoviviparous. Early stage development shows that ova

in each oviduct are encased in a membranous, horny

capsule called a candle. This membrane breaks down

about four to six months after fertilization and leaves the

embryos without placental attachment to the uterine wall

(Branstetter and Burgess, in prep.). The remaining

internal development takes place over 18-22 months

(Northeast Fisheries Science Center 1997). Parturition

occurs offshore in the winter (Bigelow and Schroeder

1953; Soldat 1979; Azarovitz et al. 1980; McMillan and

Morse, unpublished data). Young dogfish, referred to as

“pups,” are born head-first. Litter sizes range from 1-15

pups, but usually average 6-7 (Northeast Fisheries Science

Center 1997; Branstetter and Burgess, in prep.). The size

at birth for both sexes ranges from 20-33 cm. Ford (1921)

and Templeman (1944) report a sex ratio of 1:1 among

newborn pups.

Nammack et al. (1985) estimated that the maximum

age of males was 35 years and the maximum age of

females was 40 years in the northwest Atlantic Ocean.

Females grow larger than males and may reach a

maximum length of 125 cm and weight of 10 kg

(Northeast Fisheries Science Center 1997).

FOOD HABITS

Spiny dogfish are well known for their voracious and

opportunistic predatory behavior. Swimming in large

“packs,” they will attack schools of fishes smaller than

themselves, including cod, haddock, capelin, mackerel,

herring, and sand lance. Their opportunistic nature is

supported by their consumption of flatfishes, blennies,

sculpins, ctenophores, jellyfish, polychaetes, sipunculids,

amphipods, shrimps, crabs, snails, octopods, squids, and

sea cucumbers (Templeman 1944; Bigelow and Schroeder

1953; Jensen 1965; Branstetter and Burgess, in prep.).

The opportunistic feeding behavior of spiny dogfish

is evident in several published studies. During inshore

surveys in the early 1960s off South Carolina, Atlantic

menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus, was the dominant fish

collected in most of the trawls in which spiny dogfish

were taken. Many of the dogfish examined were gorged

on young menhaden ranging from 75-130 mm total length

(TL) (Bearden 1965). On the Scotian Shelf, the two most

abundant species of zooplankton in Emerald and La Have

basins are the copepod, Calanus finmarchicus, and the

euphausiid, Meganyctiphanes norvegica. Sameoto et al.

(1994) reported that stomachs of spiny dogfish from

trawls on the Scotian Shelf in 1989 contained these

zooplankton and there was no evidence that they were

feeding on fish.

Fish, arthropods, and ctenophores dominated the

stomachs of spiny dogfish collected during the Northeast

Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) bottom trawl surveys

from 1973 through 1990 (Figure 3). More than 11,000

stomachs were analyzed and the diversity of prey selection

supports observations from the literature.

MIGRATION

Spiny dogfish migrate northward in the spring and

summer and southward in the fall and winter (Jensen

1965). Fish that spend the summer north of Cape Cod

move south to Long Island in the fall and as far south as

North Carolina in the winter (Branstetter and Burgess, in

prep.). Winter catches in waters south of North Carolina

were reported by Bearden (1965) and Hess (1966) and

occurrences as far south as Cuba were reported by

Bigelow and Schroeder (1953).
Page 2

Seasonal inshore-offshore movements and coastal

migrations are related to water temperature (Bigelow and

Schroeder 1953; Jensen 1965). Generally, spiny dogfish

spend summers in inshore waters and overwinter in deeper

offshore waters. They are usually epibenthic, but occur

throughout the water column and are found from

nearshore shallows to offshore shelf waters to 900 m

(Branstetter and Burgess, in prep.).

STOCK STRUCTURE

The population of spiny dogfish in the northwest

Atlantic is managed as a unit stock under the authority of

the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC

1998).

HABITAT CHARACTERISTICS

Habitat characteristics for juvenile and adult spiny

dogfish are summarized by survey and geographic area in

Table 2. In the spring, juveniles and adults occur in

deeper, generally warmer waters on the outer shelf from

North Carolina to Georges Bank. In the fall, they occur in

the shallower, moderately warm waters from southern

New England into the Gulf of Maine. Their seasonal

distribution is similar in coastal areas. Dogfish are

transient visitors to estuaries where they prefer higher

salinities.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION

The geographical distribution of spiny dogfish is

described below, based on NEFSC and various state trawl

surveys [see Reid et al. (1999) for survey methodology].

Additional information provided by the NOAA National

Ocean Service’s (NOS) Estuarine Living Marine

Resources Program (ELMR) is summarized in Table 3

(Jury et al., 1994; Stone et al., 1994).

JUVENILES

The seasonal distribution and abundance data for

juvenile spiny dogfish in the NEFSC bottom trawl surveys

were limited to those surveys where sex was determined.

In the winter, juvenile spiny dogfish were widespread

across the shelf from North Carolina to the eastern edge of

Georges Bank (Figure 4). Juveniles were absent on the

western portions of Georges Bank and rare on Nantucket

Shoals. The Gulf of Maine was not adequately sampled to

allow us to describe juvenile distribution during winter.

In the NEFSC spring surveys, juveniles were

concentrated in offshore waters from North Carolina to

the eastern edge of Georges Bank (Figure 4). The largest

catches were made along the outer shelf (60-200 m).

Juveniles were nearly absent in the northwestern Gulf of

Maine. During spring surveys, bottom water temperatures

ranged from 1-22o

C and juvenile spiny dogfish occurred

from 3-17o

C; most were captured between 8o and 13oC

(Figure 5). Trawl stations occupied during the spring

ranged from 5-439 m deep and juveniles were captured

from 7-390 m; most were caught between 50 and 150 m.

In the summer, the NEFSC surveys where sex was

determined were limited to 1993-1995 in the Gulf of

Maine, so the distribution cannot be summarized during

this season.

In the autumn NEFSC surveys, the highest catches

were made around Nantucket Shoals, on Georges Bank,

and in waters between Lurcher Shoal and German Bank

off the coast of Nova Scotia. Juveniles were widespread

throughout the Gulf of Maine (Figure 4). During the

autumn surveys, bottom water temperatures ranged from

5-28o

C and juvenile spiny dogfish occurred from 5-20oC;

most were captured at 10-15o

C. Trawl stations occupied

during autumn ranged from 5-481 m deep and juveniles

were captured from 12-366 m; most were caught between

25 and 75 m (Figure 5).

In the spring Massachusetts bottom trawl surveys,

juvenile spiny dogfish were not captured in the Gulf of

Maine and were rarely captured in Buzzards Bay and

Nantucket Sound (Figure 6). They were more abundant

around the southwest part of Martha’s Vineyard, south of

Nantucket Island, along the northeast edge of Cape Cod,

and north of Cape Cod Bay. In the spring, juveniles were

six times more abundant than adults in trawl catches.

The northward migration of juveniles was evident in

the spring and autumn Massachusetts bottom trawl

surveys (Figure 6). The only noteworthy abundance south

of Cape Cod occurred on Great Round Shoal, just

northeast of Nantucket Island. Juveniles were captured

along the eastern shore of Cape Cod from Nauset Beach

northward around the tip of the Cape and into Cape Cod

Bay. Juveniles were caught in large numbers around Cape

Ann, throughout Ipswich Bay, and north and offshore of

Plum Island. Adults were about twice as abundant as

juveniles in the autumn.

During the spring Massachusetts bottom trawl

surveys, bottom water temperatures ranged from 1-15o

C

(Figure 7). Juvenile spiny dogfish occurred in waters with

bottom temperatures of 2-14o

C; most were caught at

temperatures of 7-10o

C. Trawl stations occupied during

this season had bottom depths ranging from 5-82 m.

Juveniles occurred at bottom depths ranging from 7-64 m;

most were caught at depths between 10 and 44 m.

During the autumn Massachusetts bottom trawl

surveys, bottom water temperatures were bimodal and

ranged from 4-23o

C (Figure 7). Juveniles occurred at

bottom temperatures ranging from 4-20o

C with peaks at 8-

10o

C and 13-16oC. Autumn trawl depths ranged from 4-

82 m. Juvenile dogfish occurred between 8-82 m; most

were caught at depths between 15 and 34 m.
Page 3

ADULTS

In the NEFSC bottom trawl surveys, the distribution

of adult spiny dogfish in the winter was similar to the

distribution of juveniles (Figure 4). Adults occurred

across the shelf from Cape Hatteras to the eastern edge of

Georges Bank. Adults were rare in the New York Bight,

on Nantucket Shoals, and absent from the western portion

of Georges Bank.

In the spring, the distribution and relative abundance

of adults were somewhat similar to that of the juveniles.

Adults were abundant along the outer shelf from North

Carolina to the Northeast Peak of Georges Bank and onto

Browns Bank (Figure 4). Lesser numbers occurred

inshore from Cape Hatteras to Long Island, the western

portion of Georges Bank, and central Gulf of Maine.

In the summer, the NEFSC surveys where sex was

determined were limited to 1993-1995 in the Gulf of

Maine, so the distribution cannot be summarized during

this season.

In autumn, adults were not collected on the shelf from

North Carolina to just south of Hudson Canyon. Low

numbers were captured south of Long Island (Figure 4).

The highest catches occurred off Nantucket Shoals, along

the eastern edge of Cape Cod, and in Cape Cod and

Massachusetts Bays. Adults were also abundant

southwest of Nova Scotia. Adults were collected

sporadically throughout the Gulf of Maine and along the

northwest edge of Georges Bank, although to a lesser

degree than the juveniles.

During the spring NEFSC surveys, bottom water

temperatures ranged from 1-22o

C. Adult spiny dogfish

were captured at bottom temperatures between 3-17o

C;

most individuals were caught between 7-11o

C (Figure 5).

Trawl stations occupied during the spring ranged in depth

from 5-439 m. Adults occurred from 7-439 m; most were

caught between 50 and 149 m.

During the autumn NEFSC surveys, bottom

temperature ranged from 5-28o

C (Figure 5). Adult spiny

dogfish were captured at bottom temperatures between 5-

19o

C; the majority were caught at bottom temperatures

between 10-15o

C. Trawl stations occupied during autumn

ranged in depth from 5-481 m. Adults occurred from 12-

344 m; the majority were caught between 10 and 49 m.

In the spring Massachusetts bottom trawl surveys,

adult spiny dogfish were collected in the southern portions

of the survey area and were most abundant on the south

shores of Nantucket Island, northeast of Cape Cod, and in

Cape Cod Bay (Figure 6). Adult were absent north of

Cape Cod Bay, which was due to their seasonal migration

patterns.

In the autumn Massachusetts surveys, the highest

catches of adults occurred along the eastern shore of Cape

Cod near Nauset Beach, near the tip of the Cape, and

within Cape Cod Bay (Figure 6). They were also caught

near Cape Ann, Ipswich Bay, and Plum Island, but were

rare in the southern portion of the survey area except

northeast of Nantucket Island.

During the spring Massachusetts surveys, bottom

water temperatures ranged from 1-15o

C. Adult spiny

dogfish were caught at bottom water temperatures

between 1-14o

C; most were caught between 6-12oC

(Figure 7). Bottom depths during the spring surveys

ranged from 5-82 m. Adults were captured at depths

ranging from 6-64 m; most were caught in less than 45 m

of water.

During autumn Massachusetts surveys, bottom

temperatures ranged from 4-23o

C. Adult spiny dogfish

were caught at bottom water temperatures between 4-

20o

C; most were caught from 9-15oC (Figure 7). Bottom

depths during the autumn surveys ranged from 4-82 m.

Adults were captured at depths ranging from 6-82 m; most

were caught between 10 and 34 m.

OTHER SURVEYS

In the Long Island Sound survey, sexes and sizes

were not recorded, so adults and juveniles are considered

together.

Spiny dogfish entered Long Island Sound in May and

June and departed by early August (Gottschall et al., in

review) (Figure 8). They were found in waters deeper

than 27 m with sandy and transitional sand-mud bottoms.

Spiny dogfish returned to the sound in the fall, with the

largest catches and widest distribution during November.

These autumn transients preferred mud and/or transition

bottoms and waters deeper than 27 m.

In the Hudson-Raritan estuary survey, although sizes

were recorded, sexes were not, so adults and juveniles are

considered together.

Spiny dogfish were transient visitors to the HudsonRaritan estuary (Figure 9). Spiny dogfish were not caught

during the 1992 and 1993 surveys. From 1994 to 1996,

spiny dogfish were caught in small numbers in December

and were not caught in January. In 1997, spiny dogfish

were caught in November in small numbers and were

absent in December and January.

Spiny dogfish were caught at bottom depths of 13-20

m, at bottom water temperatures between 7.1-11.3o

C, at

bottom dissolved oxygen levels between 8.2-11.2 mg/L,

and at bottom salinities between 30.7-32.2 ppt (Figure 9).

STATUS OF THE STOCKS

The total commercial landings of spiny dogfish

increased from 1968 through 1974, due largely to the

foreign fleet harvest, most notably the former USSR

(Figure 10). [The combined commercial landings of spiny

dogfish (1963-1996) include U.S., Canada, foreign, and

U.S. recreational catches. The U.S. recreational catch

data is not included from 1968-1980.] Foreign fishing

continued through 1977. With the advent of the Exclusive
Page 4

Economic Zone, the foreign harvest dwindled to a low in

1979, but landings by the U.S. and Canada have been

steadily increasing since then. A sharp intensification of

the U.S. commercial fishery began in 1990. Estimated

landings for 1996, in excess of 28,000 metric tons,

represent the highest landings since 1962.

As of August 1998, spiny dogfish are classified as

overfished as a result of an increased directed fishery

(MAFMC 1998). The increased effort to harvest spiny

dogfish is due to the ongoing decline in the abundance of

traditional groundfish. With this increase in effort comes

an increase in fishing mortality, especially on adult

females that are targeted because of their larger size.

There has been a six-fold increase in commercial landings

of spiny dogfish in the last seven years.

RESEARCH NEEDS

The following list of research needs is based on the

current review and analyses of spiny dogfish data. For a

more detailed list of research needs, see Northeast

Fisheries Science Center (1994, 1997).

• Update age and growth estimates.

• Update length at maturity estimates.

• Update and investigate food habits of young-of-theyear (< 35 cm) and recruits (> 35 cm).

• Improve estimates of discards by non-directed

fisheries.

• Investigate potential databases from coastal states

regarding estuarine use, particularly the ELMR midAtlantic region.

• Increase the frequency of sex determination for all

surveys and seasons.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We wish to thank C. Steimle and R. Ramsey-Cross

for their expertise and assistance in the literature search;

P. Rago for review of the manuscript; J. Cross for

manuscript review and editing and for providing the status

of the stock analyses; and J. Vitaliano for providing food

habits analyses.

REFERENCES CITED

Azarovitz, T.R., C.J. Byrne, E.S. Bevacqua, L.I. Despres,

and H.A. Foster. 1980. Distribution and abundance

trends of 22 selected species in the Middle Atlantic

Bight from bottom trawl surveys during 1967-1979:

Final report to the U.S. Minerals Management

Service. Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., Northeast Fish. Cent.,

Woods Hole, MA. 581 p.

Bearden, C.M. 1965. Occurrence of spiny dogfish,

Squalus acanthias, and other elasmobranchs in South

Carolina coastal waters. Copeia 1965(3): 378.

Bigelow, H.B. and W.C. Schroeder. 1953. Fishes of the

Gulf of Maine. U. S. Fish Wildl. Serv., Fish. Bull. 53.

577 p.

Branstetter, S. and G.H. Burgess. In preparation. Sharks,

superorder Selachiiomorpha. In B.B. Collette and G.

Klein-MacPhee eds. Bigelow and Schroeder’s fishes

of the Gulf of Maine. Smithsonian Institution Press,

Washington, DC.

Cohen, E. 1982. Spiny dogfish. In M.D. Grosslein and

T.R. Azarovitz eds. Fish distribution. p. 49-50.

MESA New York Bight Atlas Monograph 15. N.Y.

Sea Grant Institute, Albany, NY.

Ford, E. 1921. A contribution to our knowledge of the life

histories of the dogfishes landed at Plymouth. J. Mar.

Biol. Assoc. U.K. 12: 468-505.

Goode, G.B. 1884. The fisheries and fishery industries of

the United States. Section I: Natural history of useful

aquatic animals. Govt. Print. Office, Washington,

DC. Plates.

Gottschall, K., M.W. Johnson, and D.G. Simpson. In

review. The distribution and size composition of

finfish, American lobster, and long-finned squid in

Long Island Sound, based on the Connecticut

Fisheries Division bottom trawl survey, 1984-1994.

NOAA Tech. Rep.

Hess, W.N. 1966. The hated dogfish. Sea Frontiers 12:

116-122.

Jensen, A.C. 1961. Recaptures of tagged spiny dogfish,

Squalus acanthias. Copeia 1961(2): 228-229.

Jensen, A.C. 1965. Life history of the spiny dogfish. U. S.

Fish Wildl. Serv., Fish. Bull. 65: 527-554.

Jensen, A.C., R.L. Edwards and G.C. Matthiessen. 1961.

The spiny dogfish - a review. U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish.

Serv. Northeast Fish. Cent. Woods Hole Lab. Ref.

Doc. 61-07. 42 p.

Jury, S.H., J.D. Field, S.L. Stone, D.M. Nelson, and M.E.

Monaco. 1994. Distribution and abundance of fishes

and invertebrates in North Atlantic estuaries. ELMR

Rep. No. 13. NOAA/NOS Strategic Environmental

Assessments Division, Silver Spring, MD. 221 p.

[MAFMC] Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

1998. Spiny dogfish Fishery Management Plan. Draft.

August 1998. MAFMC [Dover, DE]. 225 p. +

appendices.

Marques da Silva, H.G. 1993. Population dynamics of

spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias, in the NW Atlantic.

Ph.D. dissertation, Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst,

MA. 238 p.

Nammack, M.F., J.A. Musick and J.A. Colvocoresses.

1985. Life history of spiny dogfish off the

northeastern United States. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc.

114: 367-376.

Northeast Fisheries Science Center. 1994. Report of the

18th Northeast Regional Stock Assessment

Workshop: Stock Assessment Review Committee
Page 5

(SARC) consensus summary of assessments.

Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 94-22. 199 p.

Northeast Fisheries Science Center. 1997. Report of the

18th Northeast Regional Stock Assessment

Workshop: Stock Assessment Review Committee

(SARC) consensus summary of assessments.

Revision. Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 94-22.

25 p. + tables & figures.

Rago, J.P., K. Sosebee, J. Brodziak, and E.D. Anderson.

1994. Distribution and dynamics of northwest

Atlantic spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias). Northeast

Fish. Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 94-19.

Reid, R., F. Almeida, and C. Zetlin. 1999. Essential fish

habitat source document: Fishery independent

surveys, data sources, and methods. NOAA Tech.

Mem. NMFS-NE-122. 39 p.

Sameoto, D., J. Neilson, and D. Waldron. 1994.

Zooplankton prey selection by juvenile fish in the

Nova Scotian Shelf basins. J. Plankton Res. 16: 1003-

1020.

Saulson, T.P. 1982. Growth, maturation, and fecundity of

the spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias, in the

northwestern Atlantic. Ph.D. dissertation, State Univ.

of New York at Stony Brook, NY. 97 p.

Schwartz, F.J. 1964. Fishes of Isle of Wight and

Assawoman bays near Ocean City, Maryland. Chesapeake Sci. 5: 172-193.

Scott, J.S. 1982a. Depth, temperature, and salinity

preferences of common fishes of the Scotian Shelf. J.

Northwest Atl. Fish. Sci. 3: 29-39.

Scott, J.S. 1982b. Selection of bottom type by

groundfishes of the Scotian Shelf. Can. J. Fish.

Aquat. Sci. 39: 943-947.

Soldat, V.T. 1979. Biology, distribution, and abundance

of the spiny dogfish in the northwest Atlantic. Int.

Comm. Northwest Atl. Fish. (ICNAF) Res. Doc.

79/VI/102. 9 p.

Stone, S.L., T.A. Lowery, J.D. Field, C.D. Williams, D.M.

Nelson, S.H. Jury, M.E. Monaco, and L. Andreasen.

1994. Distribution and abundance of fishes and

invertebrates in Mid-Atlantic estuaries. ELMR Rep.

No. 12. NOAA/NOS Strategic Environmental

Assessments Division, Silver Spring, MD. 280 p.

Templeman, W. 1944. The life history of the spiny

dogfish, (Squalus acanthias) and the vitamin A

values of dogfish liver oil. Newfoundland Dep. Nat.

Resour. Res. Bull. Fish. No. 15. 102 p.

Woodhead, A.D., P.W. Eichenholz, and A.M. Guarino.

1976. Results of dogfish collections: Frenchmen Bay,

1976. Bull. Mt. Desert Isl. Biol. Lab. 16: 108-109.
Page 6

Table 1. Estimates of spiny dogfish size at 50% maturity for females from 1944 to 1993.

Study Years Area Age Length

Templeman 1944 1940s Newfoundland 7-8 years 74 cm

Bigelow & Schroeder 1953 1950s Gulf of Maine 75 cm

Nammack et al. 1985 1980 – 1981 Mid-Atlantic &

Southern New England

12.1 years 79.9 cm

Marques da Silva 1993 1980 – 1981 Northwest Atlantic 12 years 80.6 cm

Marques da Silva 1993 1985 – 1986 Northwest Atlantic 85.9 cm

Marques da Silva 1993 1987 – 1988 Northwest Atlantic 82.2 cm

Marques da Silva 1993 1991 Northwest Atlantic 84.1 cm

Marques da Silva 1993 1968 – 1990 Northwest Atlantic 83.1 cm*

* Mean length calculated from Figure 4.4 in Marques da Silva (1993).
Page 7

Table 2. Summary of life history and habitat characteristics for spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias.

1

 Abbreviations:

NEFSC = Northeast Fisheries Science Center; OR = observed range; OA = occurred at; PR = preferred range.

Life Stage

and Study

Geographic

Location

Spatial/Temporal

Distribution

Bottom Depth/

Bottom Type

Bottom

Temperature

Salinity Estuarine

Use

Prey

JUVENILES

NEFSC

Bottom Trawl

Surveys

Northwest

Atlantic

WINTER: across the

shelf from North

Carolina (NC) to

Georges Bank (GB).

SPRING: across shelf

from NC. GB, more

abundant offshore.

SUMMER: inadequate

sampling.

AUTUMN: Nantucket

Island, GB, between

Lurcher Shoal and

German Bank.

SPRING:

OR: 5-439 m

OA: 7-390 m

PR: 50-150 m

AUTUMN

OR: 5-481 m

OA: 12-366 m

PR: 25-75 m

SPRING

OR: 1-22o

C

OA: 3-17o

C

PR: 8-13o

C

AUTUMN

OR: 5-28o

C

OA: 5-20o

C

PR: 10-15o

C

Estuaries not

sampled

Major predators

on some

commercially

important

species, mainly

herring, Atlantic

mackerel,

squids, and to a

lesser extent,

haddock and

cod.

Massachusetts

Inshore Trawl

Survey

Inshore from

Vineyard

Sound to

Cape Ann

SPRING: southwest

Martha’s Vineyard,

southern Nantucket

Island, northeast Cape

Cod, northern Cape Cod

Bay.

AUTUMN: northeast

Nantucket Island, Cape

Cod and Cape Cod Bay,

Cape Ann.

SPRING:

OR: 5-82 m

OA: 7-64 m

PR: 10-44 m

AUTUMN:

OR: 4-82 m

OA: 8-82 m

PR: 15-34 m

SPRING

OR: 1-15o

C

OA: 2-14o

C

PR: 7-10o

C

AUTUMN

OR: 4-23o

C

OA: 4-20o

C

PR: 8-10o

C

 13-16o

C*

* Bimodal

preference

Estuaries not

sampled

ADULTS

NEFSC

Bottom Trawl

Surveys

Northwest

Atlantic

WINTER: across the

shelf from NC to GB.

SPRING: outer shelf

from NC to northeast

peak of GB, Browns

Bank.

SUMMER: Inadequate

sampling

AUTUMN: Nantucket

Shoals, eastern Cape

Cod, Cape Cod and

Massachusetts Bays.

SPRING

OR: 5-439 m

OA: 7-439 m

PR: 50-149 m

AUTUMN

OR: 5-481 m

OA: 12-344 m

PR: 10-49 m

SPRING

OR: 1-22o

C

OA: 3-17o

C

PR: 7-11o

C

AUTUMN

OR: 5-28o

C

OA: 5-19o

C

PR: 10-15o

C

See above

Massachusetts

Inshore Trawl

Survey

Inshore from

Vineyard

Sound to

Cape Ann

SPRING: southern

Nantucket Island,

northeast Cape Cod,

Cape Cod Bay. Absent

in the Gulf of Maine.

AUTUMN: Eastern

Cape Cod, northern

Cape Cod, Cape Cod

Bay, Cape Ann, Ipswich

Bay, Plum Island.

SPRING

OR: 4-82 m

OA: 6-64 m

PR: < 45 m

AUTUMN

OR: 4-82 m

OA: 6-82 m

PR: 10-34 m

SPRING

OR: 1-15o

C

OA: 1-14o

C

PR: 6-12o

C

AUTUMN

OR: 4-23o

C

OA: 4-20o

C

PR: 9-15o

C

Connecticut

Bottom Trawl

Survey

(Gottschall et

al., in review)

Long Island

Sound

Enter the Sound in May

and June and depart by

early August.

Return in Sept-Nov with

highest numbers in Nov.

May-June: prefer

waters > 27 m;

sand to

transitional sandmud bottoms.

Sept-Nov: prefer

waters > 27 m;

mud and/or

transitional

bottoms.

HudsonRaritan

Estuary Trawl

Surveys (Reid

et al. 1999)

HudsonRaritan

estuary

Nov-Dec 1994-1997.

Found on Romer Shoals,

East Bank, and Ambrose

channel.

OA: 12-18 m OA: 7.1 -

11.3o

C

OA: 30.7

- 32.2

ppt

Crabs, eels,

various small

fishes

1

In addition to the references cited in the text, the following references were used to construct this table: Cohen (1982), Jensen (1961), Jensen et al.

(1961), Schwartz (1964), Scott (1982a,b), and Woodhead et al. (1976).
Page 8

Table 3. Summary of the distribution and relative abundance of spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias, in North Atlantic and

Mid-Atlantic estuaries by salinity zone [based on Estuarine Living Marine resources (ELMR) data in Jury et al. (1994)

and Stone et al. (1994)]. Salinity zone: T = tidal fresh, 0.0-0.5 ppt; M = mixing zone, 0.5-25 ppt; S = Seawater Zone, >

25 ppt. Relative abundance: h = highly abundant, a = abundant, c = common, r = rare, blank = not present, n = no data

presented, * = no data available, nz = salinity zone not present. Data reliability: highly certain = bold and underlined

text, moderately certain = bold italicized text, reasonable inference = normal text.

Estuary Adults Mating Juveniles Parturition

TMS TMS TM S TM S

 Passamaquoddy Bay c a na c a * * na

 Englishman/Machias Bays c a na c a * * na

 Narragaugus Bay c a na c a * * na

 Blue Hill Bay c a na c a * * na

 Penobscot Bay c a na c c * * na

 Muscongus Bay c c na c c * * na

 Damariscotta Bay c c na c c na

 Sheepscot Bay c c na c c na

 Kennebec/Androscoggin Rivers c c na c c na

 Casco Bay r c r c

 Saco Bay r c r c

 Wells Harbor nz nz nz nz

 Great Bay

 Merrimack River nz nz nz nz

 Massachusetts Bay nz nz a nz nz na nz nz a nz nz na

 Boston Harbor nz r r nz nz r r nz

 Cape Cod Bay nz r a nz na nz r a nz na

 Waquoit Bay n n n n n n n n n n n n

 Buzzards Bay n n nnnnnnnnnn

 Narragansett Bay n n n n n n n n n n n n

 Connecticut River n n n n n n n n n n n n

 Gardiners Bay n n n n n n n n n n n n

 Long Island Sound n n n n n n n n n n n n

 Great South Bay n n n n n n n n n n n n

 Hudson River/Raritan Bay n n n n n n n n n n n n

 Barnegat Bay n n n n n n n n n n n n

 New Jersey Inland Bays n n n n n n n n n n n n

 Delaware Bay n n n n n n n n n n n n

 Delaware Inland Bays n n n n n n n n n n n n

 Chincoteague Bay n n n n n n n n n n n n

 Chesapeake Bay Mainstem n n n n n n n n n n n n

 Chester River n n n n n n n n n n n n

 Choptank River n n n n n n n n n n n n

 Patuxent River n n n n n n n n n n n n

 Potomac River n n n n n n n n n n n n

 Tangier/Pocomoke Sounds n n n n n n n n n n n n

 Rappahannock River n n n n n n n n n n n n

 York River n n n n n n n n n n n n

 James River n n n n n n n n n n n n
Page 9

Figure 1. The spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias (from Goode 1884).
Page 10

Figure 2. Distribution and abundance of spiny dogfish in the northwest Atlantic Ocean during 1975-1994, from the U.S.

NOAA/Canada DFO East Coast of North America Strategic Assessment Project (http://www-orca.nos.noaa.gov/projects/

ecnasap/ecnasap_table1.html).
Page 11

Figure 3. Abundance (percent occurrence) of the major items in the diet of spiny dogfish collected during NEFSC

bottom trawl surveys from 1973-1980 and 1981-1990. The category “unknown animal remains” refers to unidentifiable

animal matter. Methods for sampling, processing, and analysis of samples differed between the time periods [see Reid et

al. (1999) for details].

Unknown Animal Remains 28.5%

Arthropoda 22.4%

Fish 19.7%

Mollusca 7.5% Cnidaria 4.9%

Urochordata 3.8%

Annelida 2.9%

Platyhelminthes 2.7%

Ctenophore 2.6%

Miscellaneous Materials 2.0%

Other Phylum 3.1%

Fish 29.7%

Ctenophore 21.7%

Arthropoda 17.8%

Unknown Animal Remains 17.3%

Mollusca 8.7%

Annelida 2.3%

Cnidaria 1.0%

Other Prey Groups 1.6%

 1973-1980

(n=1238)

1981-1990

(n=9924)
Page 12

 

Figure 4. Seasonal distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult spiny dogfish collected during NEFSC bottom trawl

surveys. Densities are represented by dot size in spring and fall plots, while only presence and absence are represented

in winter and summer plots [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Winter 1981, 1992 - 97

Juvenile Female (<83cm)

Juvenile Male (<60cm)

= Absent

 = Present

Spiny Dogfish

Number/Tow

 1 to <100

 100 to <200

 200 to <500

 500 to <2000

 2000 to <5825

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Spring 1982 - 97

Juvenile Females (<83cm)

Juvenile Males (<60cm)

Spiny Dogfish

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Summer 1993 - 95

Juvenile Female (<83cm)

Juvenile Male (<60cm)

= Absent

 = Present

Spiny Dogfish

Number/Tow

 0 to <50

 50 to <250

 250 to <500

 500 to <2000

 2000 to <4393

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Autumn 1982 - 97

Juvenile Females (<83cm)

Juvenile Males (<60cm)

Spiny Dogfish
Page 13

Figure 4. cont’d.

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Winter 1981, 1992 - 97

Adult Female (>=83cm)

Adult Male (>=60cm)

= Absent

 = Present

Spiny Dogfish

Number/Tow

 1 to <100

 100 to <250

 250 to <500

 500 to <2000

 2000 to <9013

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Spring 1982 - 97

Adult Females (>=83cm)

Adult Males (>=60cm)

Spiny Dogfish

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Summer 1993 - 95

Adult Female (>=83cm)

Adult Males (>=60cm)

= Absent

 = Present

Spiny Dogfish

Number/Tow

 1 to <100

 100 to <250

 250 to <500

 500 to <1000

 1000 to <3749

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Autumn 1982 - 97

Adult Females (>=83cm)

Adult Males (>=60cm)

Spiny Dogfish
Page 14

Figure 5. Abundance of juvenile and adult spiny dogfish relative to bottom water temperature and depth based on

NEFSC spring and autumn bottom trawl surveys (all years combined). Open bars represent the proportion of all stations

surveyed, while solid bars represent the proportion of the sum of all standardized catches (number/10 m2

).

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29

0

4

8

12

16

20

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29

0

5

10

15

20

25

0

5

10

15

20

25

0

10

20

30

40

0

20

40

60

80

0

10

20

30

40

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29

0

5

10

15

20

25

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29

0

4

8

12

16

Juveniles 20 Adults

Stations

Catches

Spring Spring

Spring Spring

Autumn Autumn

Autumn Autumn

Bottom Depth (m) Bottom Depth (m)

Bottom Depth (m) Bottom Depth (m)

Bottom Temperature (C) Bottom Temperature (C)

Bottom Temperature (C) Bottom Temperature (C)

NMFS Bottom Trawl Surveys

Spiny Dogfish
Page 15

Figure 6. Distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult spiny dogfish in Massachusetts coastal waters during spring

and autumn Massachusetts trawl surveys, 1978-1996 [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

Spiny Dogfish

Mass. Inshore Trawl Survey

 Spring 1978 - 1996

 Juveniles (<83cm)

Number/Tow

 1 to 5

 5 to 25

 25 to 100

 100 to 500

 500 to 3163

Spiny Dogfish

Mass. Inshore Trawl Survey

 Autumn 1978 - 1996

 Juveniles (<83cm)

Number/Tow

 1 to 100

 100 to 500

 500 to 1000

 1000 to 3000

 3000 to 4644

Spiny Dogfish

Mass. Inshore Trawl Survey

 Spring 1978 - 1996

 Adults (>=83cm)

Number/Tow

 1 to 10

 10 to 25

 25 to 50

 50 to 100

 100 to 167

Spiny Dogfish

Mass. Inshore Trawl Survey

 Autumn 1978 - 1996

 Adults (>=83cm)

Number/Tow

 1 to 25

 25 to 50

 50 to 100

 100 to 500

 500 to 916
Page 16

Figure 7. Abundance of juvenile and adult spiny dogfish relative to bottom water temperature and depth based on

Massachusetts spring and autumn inshore bottom trawl surveys, 1978-1996 (all years combined). Open bars represent

the proportion of all stations surveyed, while solid bars represent the proportion of the sum of all standardized catches

(number/10 m2

).

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23

0

10

20

30

40

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23

0

10

20

30

40

0

10

20

30

40

0

10

20

30

0

5

10

15

20

25

0

10

20

30

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23

0

4

8

12

16

20

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23

0

10

20

30

Juveniles Adults

Stations

Catches

Spring Spring

Spring Spring

Autumn Autumn

Autumn Autumn

Bottom Depth (m) Bottom Depth (m)

Bottom Depth (m) Bottom Depth (m)

Bottom Temperature (C) Bottom Temperature (C)

Bottom Temperature (C) Bottom Temperature (C)

Mass. Inshore Trawl Surveys

Spiny Dogfish
Page 17

Figure 8. Distribution and abundance of spiny dogfish (all lengths) in Long Island Sound during spring and autumn,

from the Connecticut bottom trawl surveys, 1992-1997 [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

Number/Tow

 1 to <2

 2 to <5

 5 to <10

 10 to <15

Number/Tow

 1 to <2

 2 to <5

 5 to <10

 10 to <13

State of Connecticut DEP

Fisheries Division

Long Island Sound Trawl Survey

SPRING 1992 - 1997

State of Connecticut DEP

Fisheries Division

Long Island Sound Trawl Survey

AUTUMN 1992 - 1997

Spiny Dogfish

Spiny Dogfish
Page 18

Figure 9. Distribution and abundance of adult (≥ 83 cm) and all lengths of spiny dogfish in the Hudson-Raritan estuary,

based on Hudson-Raritan trawl surveys, 1992-1997 [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

Staten

Island

NEW

YORK

NEW

JERSEY

Spiny Dogfish

Adults ( 83 cm) >

Hudson-Raritan Estuary

January 1992 - November 1997

(N=3 Stations)

2 3

1

Staten

Island

NEW

YORK

NEW

JERSEY

4 8 1

Spiny Dogfish

Hudson-Raritan Estuary

January 1992 - November 1997

All Lengths

 (N=5 Stations)

December 1995

Temp = 10.5 C

Salinity = 30.7 ppt

DO = 9.0 mg/l

Depth = 50 ft

December 1994

Temp = 9.6 C

Salinity = 32.0 ppt

DO = 8.2 mg/l

Depth = 38 ft

December 1996

Temp = 7.1 C

Salinity = 31.1 ppt

DO = 10.7 mg/l

Depth = 39 ft

November 1997

Temp = 11.3 C

Salinity = 32.2 ppt

DO = 11.2 mg/l

Depth = 39 ft

November 1997

Temp = 11.1 C

Salinity = 32.2 ppt

DO = 9.0 mg/l

Depth = 60 ft

12 9
Page 19

Figure 10. Commercial landings (United States, foreign, and United States recreational) and NEFSC trawl survey

indices (stratified mean catch per tow in kg) of spiny dogfish, 1963-1996.

Year

1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000

Landings (mt x 1000)

0

10

20

30

Stratified mean catch/tow (kg)

0

50

100

150

Commercial landings (mt)

Spring survey index (kg)

Smoothed survey index (kg)

NORTHEAST FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER

Dr. Michael P. Sissenwine, Science & Research Director

CAPT John T. Moakley, Operations, Management & Information Services Staff Chief

Teri L. Frady, Research Communications Unit Chief

Jon A. Gibson, Biological Sciences Editor & Laura S. Garner, Editorial Assistant

Publishing in NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE

Manuscript Qualification

This series represents a secondary level of scientific publishing in the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). For

all issues, the series employs thorough internal scientific review,

but not necessarily external scientific review. For most issues,

the series employs rigorous technical and copy editing. Manuscripts that may warrant a primary level of scientific publishing

should be initially submitted to one of NMFSs primary series

(i.e., Fishery Bulletin, NOAA Technical Report NMFS, or Marine Fisheries Review).

Identical, or fundamentally identical, manuscripts should

not be concurrently submitted to this and any other publication

series. Manuscripts which have been rejected by any primary

series strictly because of geographic or temporal limitations may

be submitted to this series.

Manuscripts by Northeast Fisheries Science Center

(NEFSC) authors will be published in this series upon approval

by the NEFSC's Deputy Science & Research Director. Manuscripts by non-NEFSC authors may be published in this series if:

1) the manuscript serves the NEFSCs mission; 2) the manuscript meets the Deputy Science & Research Directors approval; and 3) the author arranges for the printing and binding

funds to be transferred to the NEFSCs Research Communications Unit account from another federal account. For all manuscripts submitted by non-NEFSC authors and published in this

series, the NEFSC will disavow all responsibility for the manuscripts contents; authors must accept such responsibility.

The ethics of scientific research and scientific publishing

are a serious matter. All manuscripts submitted to this series are

expected to adhere -- at a minimum -- to the ethical guidelines

contained in Chapter 1 (Ethical Conduct in Authorship and

Publication) of the CBE Style Manual, fifth edition (Chicago,

IL: Council of Biology Editors). Copies of the manual are

available at virtually all scientific libraries.

Manuscript Preparation

Organization: Manuscripts must have an abstract, table of

contents, and -- if applicable -- lists of tables, figures, and

acronyms. As much as possible, use traditional scientific manuscript organization for sections: Introduction, Study Area,

Methods & Materials, Results, Discussion and/or Conclusions, Acknowledgments, and References Cited.

Style: All NEFSC publication and report series are obligated to conform to the style contained in the most recent edition

of the United States Government Printing Office Style Manual.

That style manual is silent on many aspects of scientific manuscripts. NEFSC publication and report series rely more on the

CBE Style Manual, fifth edition.

For in-text citations, use the name-date system. A special

effort should be made to ensure that the list of cited works

contains all necessary bibliographic information. For abbreviating serial titles in such lists, use the most recent edition of the

Serial Sources for the BIOSIS Previews Database (Philadelphia,

PA: Biosciences Information Service). Personal communications must include date of contact and full name and mailing

address of source.

For spelling of scientific and common names of fishes,

mollusks, and decapod crustaceans from the United States and

Canada, use Special Publications No. 20 (fishes), 26 (mollusks),

and 17 (decapod crustaceans) of the American Fisheries Society

(Bethesda, MD). For spelling of scientific and common names

of marine mammals, use Special Publication No. 4 of the

Society for Marine Mammalogy (Lawrence, KS). For spelling in

general, use the most recent edition of Websters Third New

International Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged

(Springfield, MA: G.&C. Merriam).

Typing text, tables, and figure captions: Text, including

tables and figure captions, must be converted to, or able to be

coverted to, WordPerfect. In general, keep text simple (e.g.,

dont switch fonts, dont use hard returns within paragraphs,

dont indent except to begin paragraphs). Especially, dont use

WordPerfect graphics for embedding tables and figures in text.

If the automatic footnoting function is used, also save a list of

footnotes as a separate WordPerfect file. When the final draft is

ready for review, save the text, tables, figure captions, footnotes,

and front matter as separate document files.

Tables should be prepared using all tabs or all spaces

between columnar data, but not a combination of the two.

Figures must be original (even if oversized) and on paper; they

cannot be photocopies (e.g., Xerox) unless that is all that is

available, nor be on disk. Except under extraordinary circumstances, color will not be used in illustrations.

Manuscript Submission

Authors must submit one paper copy of the double-spaced

manuscript, one magnetic copy on a disk, and original figures (if

applicable). NEFSC authors must include a completely signedoff NEFSC Manuscript/Abstract/Webpage Review Form.

Non-NEFSC authors who are not federal employees will be

required to sign a Release of Copyright form.

Send all materials and address all correspondence to:

Jon A. Gibson, Biological Sciences Editor

Northeast Fisheries Science Center

National Marine Fisheries Service

166 Water Street

Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026 USA
Research Communications Unit

Northeast Fisheries Science Center

National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA

166 Water St.

Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026

NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE -- This series is issued irregularly. The series includes: data reports of longterm or large area studies; synthesis reports for major resources or habitats; annual reports of assessment or monitoring programs;

documentary reports of oceanographic conditions or phenomena; manuals describing field and lab techniques; literature surveys of major

resource or habitat topics; findings of task forces or working groups; summary reports of scientific or technical workshops; and indexed

and/or annotated bibliographies. All issues receive internal scientific review and most issues receive technical and copy editing. Limited

free copies are available from authors or the NEFSC. Issues are also available from the National Technical Information Service, 5285

Port Royal Rd., Springfield, VA 22161.

Fishermen's Report and The Shark Tagger -- The Fishermen's Report (FR) is a quick-turnaround report on the

distribution and relative abundance of commercial fisheries resources as derived from each of the NEFSC's periodic research vessel

surveys of the Northeast's continental shelf. There is no scientific review, nor any technical or copy editing, of the FR; copies are available

through free subscription. The Shark Tagger (TST) is an annual summary of tagging and recapture data on large pelagic sharks as derived

from the NMFS's Cooperative Shark Tagging Program; it also presents information on the biology (movement, growth, reproduction, etc.)

of these sharks as subsequently derived from the tagging and recapture data. There is internal scientific review, but no technical or copy

editing, of the TST; copies are available only to participants in the tagging program.

Northeast Fisheries Science Center Reference Document -- This series is issued irregularly. The series

includes: data reports on field and lab observations or experiments; progress reports on continuing experiments, monitoring, and

assessments; background papers for scientific or technical workshops; and simple bibliographies. Issues receive internal scientific review

but no technical or copy editing. No subscriptions. Free distribution of single copies.

The mission of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is "stewardship of living marine resources for the

benefit of the nation through their science-based conservation and management and promotion of the health of their

environment." As the research arm of the NMFS's Northeast Region, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC)

supports the NMFS mission by "planning, developing, and managing multidisciplinary programs of basic and applied

research to: 1) better understand the living marine resources (including marine mammals) of the Northwest Atlantic, and

the environmental quality essential for their existence and continued productivity; and 2) describe and provide to

management, industry, and the public, options for the utilization and conservation of living marine resources and

maintenance of environmental quality which are consistent with national and regional goals and needs, and with

international commitments." Results of NEFSC research are largely reported in primary scientific media (e.g.,

anonymously-peer-reviewed scientific journals). However, to assist itself in providing data, information, and advice to

its constituents, the NEFSC occasionally releases its results in its own media. Those media are in three categories:

Publications and Reports

of the

Northeast Fisheries Science Center

To obtain a copy of a technical memorandum or a reference document, or to subscribe to the fishermen's report,

write: Research Communications Unit, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, 166 Water St., Woods Hole, MA

02543-1026. An annual list of NEFSC publications and reports is available upon request at the above address.

Any use of trade names in any NEFSC publication or report does not imply endorsement.

STANDARD

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