NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-203

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Marine Fisheries Service

Northeast Fisheries Science Center

Woods Hole, Massachusetts

December 2007

Essential Fish Habitat Source Document: 

Spiny Dogfish, Squalus acanthias,

Life History and Habitat Characteristics

Second Edition 
Recent Issues in This Series:

185. Revised and Updated Edition of F. Bruce Sanford's 1957 "Planning Your Scientific Research Paper." By Jon A. Gibson. August 

2004. x + 36 p., 5 figs., 12 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB____-______.

186. Essential Fish Habitat Source Document: Silver Hake, Merluccius bilinearis, Life History and Habitat Characteristics. 2nd 

ed. By Meredith C. Lock and David B. Packer. August 2004. v + 68 p., 28 figs., 6 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB2005-101436. [Online 

publication only.]

187. Essential Fish Habitat Source Document: American Plaice, Hippoglossoides platessoides, Life History and Habitat Characteristics. 2nd ed. By Donna L. Johnson. August 2004. vi + 72 p., 23 figs., 6 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB2006-102421. [Online publication 

only.]

188. Northeast Regional Commercial Fishing Input-Output Model, by Scott R. Steinback and Eric M. Thunberg. NTIS Access. No. 

PB2007-104394. April 2006. v + 54 p., 2 figs, 15 tables. [Online publication only.]

189. Essential Fish Habitat Source Document: Sea Scallop, Placopecten magellanicus, Life History and Habitat Characteristics. 

2nd ed. By Deborah R. Hart and Antonie S. Chute. September 2004. v + 21 p., 6 figs., 2 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB2005-104079. 

[Online publication only.]

190. Essential Fish Habitat Source Document: Atlantic Cod, Gadus morhua, Life History and Habitat Characteristics. 2nd ed. By 

R. Gregory Lough. November 2004. vi + 94 p., 27 figs., 5 tables, 1 app. NTIS Access. No. PB2006-101528. [Online publication only.]

191. Essential Fish Habitat Source Document: Northern Shortfin Squid, Illex illecebrosus, Life History and Habitat Characteristics. 

2nd ed. By Lisa C. Hendrickson and Elizabeth M. Holmes. November 2004. v + 36 p., 13 figs., 1 table. NTIS Access. No. PB2005-

101437. [Online publication only.]

192. Essential Fish Habitat Source Document: Atlantic Herring, Clupea harengus, Life History and Habitat Characteristics. 2nd 

ed. By David K. Stevenson and Marcy L. Scott. July 2005. vi + 84 p., 40 figs., 7 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB2005-107567. [Online 

publication only.]

193. Essential Fish Habitat Source Document: Longfin Inshore Squid, Loligo pealeii, Life History and Habitat Characteristics. 2nd 

ed. By Larry D. Jacobson. August 2005. v + 42 p., 20 figs., 1 table. NTIS Access. No. PB2005-110684. [Online publication only.]

194. U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Marine Mammal Stock Assessments -- 2005. By Gordon T. Waring, Elizabeth Josephson, Carol 

P. Fairfield, and Katherine Maze-Foley, eds. Dana Belden, Timothy V.N. Cole, Lance P. Garrison, Keith D. Mullin, Christopher Orphanides, 

Richard M. Pace III, Debra L. Palka, Marjorie C. Rossman, and Fredrick W. Wenzel, contribs. March 2006. v + 392 p., 45 figs, 79 tables, 

5 app., index. NTIS Access No. PB 2007-104395.

195. A Large Marine Ecosystem Voluntary Environmental Management System Approach to Fisheries Practices. By Frank J. Gable. 

December 2005. v + 84 p., 38 figs., 10 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB____-______.

196. Essential Fish Habitat Source Document: Haddock, Melanogrammus aeglefinus, Life History and Habitat Characteristics. 2nd 

ed. By Jon K.T. Brodziak. December 2005. vi + 64 p., 27 figs., 2 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB2006-103439. [Online publication only.]

197. In preparation.

198. Essential Fish Habitat Source Document: Bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, Life History and Habitat Characteristics. 2nd ed. By 

Jon K.T. Brodziak. December 2005. vi + 89 p., 48 figs., 5 tables, 1 app. NTIS Access. No. PB2006-103439. [Online publication only.]

199. Distribution and Abundance of Fish Eggs Collected during the GLOBEC Broad-Scale Georges Bank Surveys, 1995-1999. By 

John D. Sibunka, Donna L. Johnson, and Peter L. Berrien. August 2006. iv + 72 p., 28 figs., 1 table. NTIS Access. No. PB____-______. 

[Online publication only.]

200. Essential Fish Habitat Source Document: Black Sea Bass, Centropristis striata, Life History and Habitat Characteristics (2nd 

ed. By Amy F. Drohan, John P. Manderson, and David B. Packer. February 2007. vi + 68 p., 33 figs., 2 tables. NTIS Access No. PB____-

______. [Online publication only.]

201. U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Marine Mammal Stock Assessments -- 2006. By Gordon T. Waring, Elizabeth Josephson, Carol P. 

Fairfield, and Katherine Maze-Foley, eds. March 2007. vi + 378 p., 92 figs, 84 tables, 5 app., index. NTIS Access No. PB____-______.

202. Evaluation of Northern Right Whale Ship Strike Reduction Measures in the Great South Channel of Massachusetts, by Richard 

L Merrick and Timothy V.N. Cole. March 2007. 12 p., 6 figs. NTIS Access No. PB____-______.
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Donald L. Evans, Secretary

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., USN (ret.), Administrator

National Marine Fisheries Service

William T. Hogarth, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries

Northeast Fisheries Science Center

Woods Hole, Massachusetts

December 2007

This series represents a secondary level of scientific 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-203

Linda L. Stehlik

National Marine Fisheries Serv., 74 Magruder Rd., Highlands NJ 07732

Essential Fish Habitat Source Document:

Spiny Dogfish, Squalus acanthias,

Life History and Habitat Characteristics

Second Edition
Editorial Notes on "Essential Fish Habitat Source Documents"

Issued in the NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE Series

Editorial Production

 For "Essential Fish Habitat Source Documents" issued in the NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE series, 

staff of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center's (NEFSC's) Ecosystems Processes Division largely assume 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 

is performed by, and all credit for such production rightfully belongs to, the staff of the Ecosystems Processes Division.

Internet Availability and Information Updating

 Each original issue of an "Essential Fish Habitat Source Document" is published both as a paper copy and as a Web 

posting. The Web posting, which is in "PDF" format, is available at: http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/nefsc/habitat/efh.

 Each issue is updated at least every five years. The updated edition will be published as a Web posting only; the 

replaced edition(s) will be maintained in an online archive for reference purposes.

Species Names

 The NMFS Northeast Region's policy on the use of species names in all technical communications is generally to 

follow the American Fisheries Society's lists of scientific and common names for fishes (i.e., Robins et al. 1991aa

, bb), 

mollusks (i.e., Turgeon et al. 1998c), and decapod crustaceans (i.e., Williams et al. 1989d), and to follow the Society 

for Marine Mammalogy's guidance on scientific and common names for marine mammals (i.e., Rice 1998e). 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 1998f

; McEachran and Dunn 1998g).

a

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

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

Robins, C.R. (chair); Bailey, R.M.; Bond, C.E.; Brooker, J.R.; Lachner, E.A.; Lea, R.N.; Scott, W.B. 1991b. World fishes important to North 

Americans. Amer. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 21; 243 p. c

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. d

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. e

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

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

Fish. Bull. (Washington, DC) 96:686-726. g

McEachran, J.D.; Dunn, K.A. 1998. Phylogenetic analysis of skates, a morphologically conservative clade of elasmobranchs (Chondrichthyes: 

Rajidae). Copeia 1998(2):271-290.
Page iii

Contents

INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................................1

LIFE HISTORY ...................................................................................................................................................................1

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION ..................................................................................................................................3

HABITAT CHARACTERISTICS .......................................................................................................................................5

RESEARCH NEEDS ...........................................................................................................................................................7

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..................................................................................................................................................7

REFERENCES CITED ........................................................................................................................................................7

Tables

Table 1. The age and length at maturity of female spiny dogfish in the northwest Atlantic..........................................11

Table 2. Diet composition of spiny dogfish by fish length category..............................................................................12

Table 3. Diet composition of spiny dogfish by geographical area. ................................................................................13

Table 4. Summary of habitat parameters for spiny dogfish based on the pertinent literature. .......................................14

Figures

Figure 1. The spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias (from Goode 1884)..............................................................................16

Figure 2. Overall distribution and abundance of spiny dogfish in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. ..................................17

Figure 3. Percent by weight of the major prey items in the diet of three size categories of spiny dogfish......................18

Figure 4. Seasonal distributions and abundances of juvenile spiny dogfish collected during NEFSC bottom trawl 

surveys. ............................................................................................................................................................19

Figure 5. Seasonal distributions and abundances of juvenile and small adult male spiny dogfish in Massachusetts 

coastal waters...................................................................................................................................................23

Figure 6. Seasonal distributions and abundances of adult spiny dogfish collected during NEFSC bottom trawl 

surveys. ............................................................................................................................................................25

Figure 7. Seasonal distributions and abundances of adult spiny dogfish in Massachusetts coastal waters. ....................29

Figure 8. Distributions and abundances of juvenile and adult spiny dogfish in Long Island Sound...............................31

Figure 9. Distributions and abundances of adult (83 cm) and all lengths of spiny dogfish in the Hudson-Raritan 

estuary..............................................................................................................................................................32

Figure 10. Catch per unit effort for total catch of spiny dogfish in the lower Chesapeake Bay and tributaries. ...............33

Figure 11. Distribution and abundance of spiny dogfish in the lower Chesapeake Bay and tributaries............................34

Figure 12. Distributions of juvenile spiny dogfish and trawls from NEFSC bottom trawl surveys relative to bottom 

water temperature, depth, and salinity. ............................................................................................................35

Figure 13. Distributions of juvenile and small adult male spiny dogfish and trawls in Massachusetts coastal waters 

relative to bottom water temperature and depth...............................................................................................37

Figure 14. Distributions of adult spiny dogfish and trawls from NEFSC bottom trawl surveys relative to bottom water 

temperature, depth, and salinity. ......................................................................................................................39

Figure 15. Distributions of adult spiny dogfish and trawls in Massachusetts coastal waters relative to bottom water 

temperature and depth......................................................................................................................................41

Figure 16. Relative abundance (geometric mean catch/tow) catch/tow and percent occurrence (proportion of samples 

in which at least one individual was observed) for spiny dogfish in Long Island Sound by month, month 

and bottom type, and month and depth interval. ..............................................................................................43

Figure 17. Hydrographic preferences for spiny dogfish total catch in Chesapeake Bay and tributaries, from the VIMS 

trawl surveys, 1988-1999 (all years combined). ..............................................................................................44
PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION 

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 NOAA Fisheries to assist the 

regional fishery management councils in the 

implementation of EFH in their respective fishery 

management plans. 

NOAA Fisheries 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 a series of EFH species reports (plus one 

consolidated methods report). The EFH species reports 

are a survey of the important literature as well as 

original analyses of fishery-independent data sets from 

NOAA Fisheries and several coastal states. The species 

reports are also the source for the current EFH 

designations by the New England and Mid-Atlantic 

Fishery Management Councils, and understandably are 

referred to as the “EFH source documents.” 

NOAA Fisheries 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. 

The initial series of EFH species source documents 

were published in 1999 in the NOAA Technical 

Memorandum NMFS-NE series. Updating and review 

of the EFH components of the councils’ Fishery 

Management Plans is required at least every 5 years by 

the NOAA Fisheries Guidelines for meeting the 

Sustainable Fisheries Act/EFH Final Rule. The second 

editions of these species source documents were written 

to provide the updated information needed to meet 

these requirements. The second editions provide new 

information on life history, geographic distribution, and 

habitat requirements via recent literature, research, and 

fishery surveys, and incorporate updated and revised 

maps and graphs. 

Identifying and describing EFH are the first steps 

in the process of protecting, conserving, and enhancing 

essential habitats of the managed species. Ultimately, 

NOAA Fisheries, 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.

Page iv 
Page 1

INTRODUCTION

The spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias Linnaeus, 

1758 (Squalidae) (Figure 1) is a coastal shark with a 

circumboreal distribution. There are populations of 

spiny dogfish on the continental shelves of northern and 

southern temperate zones throughout the world 

(Compagno 1984). The northwest Atlantic Ocean 

population is not believed to mix with populations from 

Europe, Asia, the northeast Pacific, or the southern 

hemisphere, although these other populations are not 

considered to consist of separate species. However, 

DNA analysis may be able to resolve the question of 

genetic relationships in the future (McCauley et al.

2004). 

In addition to being the most abundant shark in the 

western north Atlantic, the spiny dogfish is also one of 

the most highly migratory (Compagno 1984). It ranges 

from Labrador to Florida, but is most abundant from 

Nova Scotia to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina (Figure 

2) (Rago et al. 1998). Its major migrations on the 

northwest Atlantic shelf are north and south, but it also 

migrates inshore and offshore seasonally in response to 

changes in water temperature (Garrison 2000). 

From the 1960s through the 1990s, spiny dogfish 

and skates became the dominant piscivores on the 

northwest Atlantic shelf, replacing Atlantic cod and 

haddock (Link and Garrison 2002). In autumn trawl 

surveys by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center 

(NEFSC) covering the Georges Bank region in 1991-

1997, spiny dogfish composed large proportions of the 

biomass of the faunal assemblages: 80% of the inshore 

southern New England assemblage, 51% of that on the 

north flank, and 13-23% of the other Georges Bank 

assemblages (Garrison 2000). In 1991-1997 spring 

trawl surveys, spiny dogfish composed 21-71% of the 

biomass of all faunal assemblages (Garrison 2000). 

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 (Mid- Atlantic 

Fishery Management Council 1998). In summer months 

these fish also inhabit Canadian waters, and are 

collected in Canadian trawl surveys (Shepherd et al.

2002). A review of the status of the dogfish population 

was done at the 43rd Stock Assessment Workshop 

(Northeast Fisheries Science Center 2006). 

LIFE HISTORY 

Spiny dogfish have a long life, late maturation, a 

long gestation period, and low fecundity. Animals with 

this life history strategy are particularly vulnerable to 

population collapse, as they cannot quickly rebuild their 

numbers once depleted. It is difficult to maintain a 

sustainable harvest of a species with this type of life 

history (Musick 1999; Cortes 2000). 

Spiny dogfish school by size. Small fish of both 

sexes, medium-sized fish (including immature females 

and mature males), and large mature females travel 

separately. They are rarely seen alone, nearly always 

occurring in groups. They have been described as slow, 

inactive swimmers in comparison to other sharks, and 

are nomadic and irregular in their local movements 

(Compagno 1984). They do not attain fast swim speeds 

compared with other sharks because of their caudal 

structure, but they are highly maneuverable, flexible, 

and agile (Domenici et al. 2004). 

JUVENILES

Birth occurs offshore in fall or winter (Soldat 1979; 

Nammack et al. 1985; Burgess 2002). The pups at birth 

range from 20-33 cm in total length, with the majority 

at 26-27 cm (Burgess 2002). Ford (1921) and 

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

newborn pups. Fish < 1 yr old and < 36 cm are 

considered recruits (Northeast Fisheries Science Center 

2006). Spiny dogfish may remain immature for ten 

years or more. Parameters for the von Bertalanffy 

growth equation for spiny dogfish are provided by 

Nammack et al. (1985) from middle Atlantic and 

southern New England waters and by Burgess (2002) 

from the Gulf of Maine. From these parameters, both 

sources predict that the mean lengths of males and 

females at five years of age would be approximately 56 

cm. 

ADULTS 

Females grow larger than males and may reach a 

maximum length of 125 cm and a maximum weight of 

10 kg (Northeast Fisheries Science Center 2006). In 

some populations such as those of the southwest 

Atlantic off Argentina, maximum length does not reach 

100 cm (Alonso et al. 2002). In the Black Sea, the 

largest spiny dogfish reported are 121 cm for males and 

136 cm for females (Avsar 2001). 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, based on growth rings in 

dorsal spines. In the northeast Pacific, spiny dogfish 

may live as long as 80 years (McFarlane and Beamish 

1987). 
Page 2 

MATURITY 

Maturity in female spiny dogfish is determined by 

the presence of developing eggs or embryos. On the 

northwest Atlantic shelf, the mean length at which 50% 

of female spiny dogfish attain maturity varies with year 

and location (Table 1). Burgess (2002) summarizes that 

most females from the Gulf of Maine mature at 12 

years at a length of 78 cm. As population size in the 

northwest Atlantic declined during the 1990s and early 

2000s, length at 50% maturity in females declined from 

82 cm in 1998 to 79 cm in 2002 (Sosebee 2005). Off 

Ireland, 50% of females were mature at 78 cm and 50% 

of males at 58 cm (Henderson et al. 2002); in the Black 

Sea 50% of females were mature at 88 cm and 50% of 

males at 83 cm (Avsar 2001). On the west coast of the 

United States and Canada, female spiny dogfish mature 

at greater length and age than on the east coast 

(Tribuzio et al. 2005; V. Gallucci, U. Washington, 

Seattle, WA, pers. comm.). Mature and immature fish 

overlap considerably in size (Alonso et al. 2002). 

Maturity in males is determined by clasper length 

relative to body length. Most males mature at six years 

and approximately 60 cm (Burgess 2002). Differences 

in reported size or age in populations around the world 

may be real or apparent due to differences in sampling 

by season, vessel type, and collection gear, and because 

studies have been conducted in various decades 

(Holden 1966; Jacob et al. 1998, Shepherd et al. 2002). 

REPRODUCTION

Mating occurs in fall, either after giving birth or 

while partially developed young from the previous 

year’s mating are being carried in the female’s womb 

(Jensen 1966). It is not known if spiny dogfish spawn in 

aggregations. The sperm is inserted along grooves on 

the males’ claspers and fertilization takes place 

internally. Spiny dogfish are ovoviviparous. In early 

stage development, the ova in each oviduct are encased 

in a membranous, horny capsule called a candle. This 

membrane breaks down four to six months after 

fertilization and leaves the embryos without placental 

attachment to the uterine wall (Burgess 2002). The 

entire internal development takes place over 18-22 

months (Northeast Fisheries Science Center 2006). 

Dogfish “pups” are born head-first. Litter sizes range 

from 1-15 pups, but usually average 6-7; larger females 

carry a greater number of pups (Burgess 2002). Data on 

number of pups per fish have been obtained from 

shipboard dissections. The mean number of pups per 

litter has been decreasing recently, probably as a result 

of a decline in the mean size of females in recent years 

(Sosebee 2005; Northeast Fisheries Science Center 

2006). 

FOOD HABITS 

Spiny dogfish feed diurnally and nocturnally 

(Alonso et al. 2002). Sharks detect food by olfaction, 

vision, acoustics (sound, vibrations), and by sensing 

electrical fields of living organisms at close range. 

Therefore they are able to locate prey in lightless ocean 

depths. Schooling dogfish benefit from the sensory 

efforts of many individuals to locate food sources. 

Fish, squid, and ctenophores dominate the stomach 

contents of spiny dogfish collected during the Northeast 

Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) bottom trawl 

surveys [Table 2 and Table 3, Figure 3; see Link and 

Almeida (2000) for methodology]. The diversity of 

prey supports observations from other NEFSC studies 

and the literature. All data are reported as percent of 

stomach contents by weight. Table 2 and Table 3 

originate from a study by Bowman et al. (2000) 

including stomach contents from fish collected in all 

four seasons, 1977-1980, from Nova Scotia to Cape 

Fear, NC. Taxa of fish consumed include many families 

(Table 2 and Table 3; Jensen 1966; Maurer and 

Bowman 1975; Bowman et al. 1984). Table 2 divides 

the fish into 10 cm size classes, of which Bowman et al.

(2000) remarked that change in diet is gradual and there 

is little difference from one size class to the next. 

Spiny dogfish feed on squid and fish throughout 

life. They tend to eat small size classes or young fish, 

and as they grow they eat larger individuals of the same 

species (Bowman et al. 1984). Squid are a major part of 

the diet in all geographical areas except for the MidAtlantic (Table 3). Bivalvia particularly Pectinidae 

(scallops) are consumed in the Mid-Atlantic, off 

southern New England (waters from Cape Cod to south 

of Long Island), and on Georges Bank. Scombridae 

(mackerel) are consumed on the Scotian Shelf, while 

Clupeidae (herring) are eaten inshore and off southern 

New England. Gadidae (hakes) are mainly consumed 

off southern New England and on Georges Bank. 

Ammodytidae (sand lances) are consumed in the Gulf 

of Maine. In NEFSC trawl surveys north of Cape 

Hatteras, Atlantic menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus are 

consumed only in small quantities (Table 3); however,

menhaden were major prey of spiny dogfish in the early 

1960s off South Carolina (Bearden 1965). The 

opportunistic nature of spiny dogfish is supported by 

their consumption of flatfishes, blennies, sculpins, 

capelin, ctenophores, jellyfish, polychaetes, 

sipunculids, amphipods, shrimps, crabs, snails, 

octopods, squids, and sea cucumbers off the U.S. east 

coast (Templeman 1944; Jensen et al. 1961; Jensen 

1966; Burgess 2002). Occurrence of ctenophores in 

diets has increased over the last decade as the 

availability of these organisms in the oceans has 

increased (Link and Ford 2006). 

In Figure 3, data on the major prey types from the 

contents of 46,000 dogfish stomachs obtained during 

NEFSC trawl surveys from 1973-2001 are grouped into 
Page 3

three size classes: small, < 36 cm; medium, 37-79 cm; 

and large, > 79 mm total length. The predator length 

classes chosen for the figure are not strictly related to 

maturity stage. Spiny dogfish < 36 cm are immature, 

37-79 cm fish include immature females and immature 

and mature males, and fish > 79 cm are mature females. 

Small dogfish consume mainly ctenophores, squid, and 

euphausiids (shrimplike crustaceans); medium-sized 

dogfish consume these prey plus bivalves, decapod 

crustaceans, and fish. Large dogfish decrease plankton 

consumption and eat a greater variety of fish taxa. In 

deep basins off Nova Scotia, dogfish even as large as 

40-80 cm consume some euphausiids and copepods 

(Sameoto et al. 1994). 

Garrison and Link (2000a) grouped common 

predator species on the northeast United States shelf 

into trophic guilds using cluster analysis. Small (<41 

cm) and medium (41-60 cm) spiny dogfish were placed 

in the planktivorous trophic guild, consuming 

cephalopods, ctenophores, and euphausiids. Large (61-

80 cm) spiny dogfish were characterized as piscivores 

or fish consumers. On Georges Bank, despite changes 

in the identity of the dominant predators during the 

1960s through 1990s, the trophic guild structure 

remained the same (Garrison and Link 2000a, b). 

During that time, piscivores such as Atlantic cod, 

haddock, and yellowtail flounder were replaced in 

biomass by spiny dogfish and skates, as mentioned 

previously (Garrison 2000). 

In the northwest Atlantic, there is a complex web 

of piscine predators and their prey. Over the past 40 

years, the major piscine prey of spiny dogfish has 

changed (Bowman et al. 1984; Spencer and Collie 

1996; Overholtz et al. 2000; Link and Garrison 2002). 

Haddock and Atlantic herring were major prey in the 

1960s, Atlantic mackerel the major prey in the early 

1970s and then again in the 1990s, and sand lance was 

the major prey in the late 1970s to 1980s. Herring spp., 

particularly Atlantic herring, made a strong comeback 

in spiny dogfish diets in 1987 though the 1990s. The 

abundance of prey species changes in response to 

environmental factors and fishing pressure, but the 

relationship between the most abundant prey fish and 

the most frequently consumed fish in the diet is not 

direct. For example, Atlantic herring abundance peaked 

in the 1990s yet consumption (as estimated from 

dogfish stomach contents) did not correspondingly 

increase (Overholtz et al. 2000). Predators such as 

dogfish may eat smaller individuals that may not be 

sampled adequately by trawling (Link and Garrison 

2002). A predator-prey model of spiny dogfish and 

haddock was generated for Georges Bank, but no direct 

relationship between the biomass of these two species 

was found (Spencer and Collie 1996). Although fewer 

haddock were available as prey, dogfish numbers 

increased substantially due to their ability to prey upon 

many other species outside the scope of the model. 

In other regions of the world, spiny dogfish have 

similar diets to those in the northwest Atlantic. They 

pursue pelagic crustaceans and fish and they progress to 

eating mostly fish as they mature. In British Columbia 

waters, dogfish < 79 cm prey mainly upon euphausiids, 

fish, and lesser amounts of other crustaceans and 

mollusks, while larger males and females prey upon all 

those taxa but concentrate predominantly on fish, such 

as herring and hake (Jones and Geen 1977; Tanasichuk 

et al. 1991). In British waters, Ammodytidae are the 

most important prey in four locations, herring and 

mackerel in another (Holden 1966). In the Irish Sea, 

40% of the diet of spiny dogfish < 60 cm is crustaceans, 

while dogfish > 60 cm have a diet of 80% fish, mainly 

Clupeidae and Gadidae (Ellis et al. 1996). On the 

continental shelf of Argentina, immature spiny dogfish 

feed mainly upon ctenophores, while mature fish feed 

mainly upon squid and Argentine hake, and mature fish 

feed on larger squid than immature fish (Alonso et al.

2002). In the Black Sea immatures and matures 

opportunistically consume whiting, red mullet, black 

goby, sprat, crangonid shrimp, and other crustaceans 

(Avsar 2001). Off New Zealand, all size classes of 

spiny dogfish prefer squat lobster postlarvae, 

euphausiids, and lesser amounts of other crabs and fish, 

with more fish in the diet as size increases (Hanchet 

1991). Cannibalism upon small juveniles was also 

observed. 

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION 

Spiny dogfish are distributed worldwide on the 

continental shelves of boreal and temperate zones. The 

distribution of spiny dogfish on the northwest Atlantic 

shelf is described below, based on NEFSC and state 

inshore trawl surveys. For the NEFSC and 

Massachusetts Bay distribution maps in this document, 

dogfish were separated into juvenile and adult classes 

by length: 83 cm for females and 60 cm for males (see 

Life History). Some data may not be included in the 

plots if sex was not noted. Many years’ data have been 

combined, but among years, changes occur. As spiny 

dogfish became more abundant from 1970 through the 

late 1990s, their range expanded to include all of 

Georges Bank (Garrison and Link 2000b). 

JUVENILES

The seasonal distributions and abundances of 

juvenile spiny dogfish collected during NEFSC bottom 

trawl surveys [see Reid et al. (1999) for details] from 

the Gulf of Maine to Cape Hatteras are shown in Figure 

4. Note that winter and summer distributions are 

presented as presence data only, precluding a discussion 

of abundances. In winter, juveniles were widespread 

across the shelf from North Carolina to the eastern edge 
Page 4 

of Georges Bank, as shown by presence or positive 

tows (Figure 4). Juveniles were scarce 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 spring NEFSC surveys, juvenile spiny 

dogfish 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. In summer, the 

NEFSC trawl stations in which sex of spiny dogfish 

was determined are limited in number, but presence 

information is presented (Figure 4). In the autumn 

NEFSC surveys, the greatest catches were around 

Nantucket Shoals, on Georges Bank, and in waters 

between Lurcher Shoal and German Bank south of the 

coast of Nova Scotia. Juveniles were widespread 

throughout the Gulf of Maine (Figure 4). 

The distributions and abundances of juveniles in 

Massachusetts coastal waters, based upon the spring 

and fall 1978-2003 Massachusetts inshore trawl 

surveys, are shown in Figure 5. In the spring, juveniles 

were common in the waters southwest of Martha’s 

Vineyard, south of Nantucket Island, along the 

northeast edge of Cape Cod, and in Cape Cod Bay. 

They were not captured in the Gulf of Maine and were 

rarely captured in Buzzards Bay or Nantucket Sound 

(Figure 5). The northward migration of juveniles in the 

warm season was evident in the autumn (Figure 5). The 

only noteworthy abundance south of Cape Cod was 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. They were also caught in 

large numbers around Cape Ann, throughout Ipswich 

Bay, and north and offshore of Plum Island. 

ADULTS 

The seasonal distributions and abundances of adult 

spiny dogfish collected during NEFSC bottom trawl 

surveys are shown in Figure 6. (Again, note that winter 

and summer distributions are presented as presence data 

only.) In winter, the distribution of adult spiny dogfish 

was similar to the distribution of juveniles. Adults 

occurred across the shelf from Cape Hatteras to the 

eastern edge of Georges Bank. Adults were rare in the 

New York Bight, Nantucket Shoals, and the western 

portion of Georges Bank. In the spring, the distribution 

and relative abundances 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 6). Lesser numbers occurred inshore from 

Cape Hatteras to Long Island, the western portion of 

Georges Bank, and central Gulf of Maine. In the 

summer NEFSC trawl surveys, stations in which sex of 

spiny dogfish was determined are limited in number, 

but a small amount of presence information is presented 

(Figure 6). 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 6). 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. 

The distributions and abundances of adults in 

Massachusetts coastal waters, based upon the spring 

and fall 1978-2003 Massachusetts inshore trawl 

surveys, are shown in Figure 7. In the spring, 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, also in Buzzards Bay and around 

Martha’s Vineyard (Figure 7). Adults were absent north 

of Cape Cod Bay due to their seasonal migration 

patterns. In the spring, juveniles were six times more 

abundant than adults in trawl catches. In the autumn 

Massachusetts surveys, the greatest 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 7). 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. Adults were about twice as 

abundant as juveniles in the autumn. 

The distributions and abundances of spiny dogfish 

in Long Island Sound from April to November 1984-

1994, based on the Connecticut Fisheries Division 

bottom trawl surveys (Gottschall et al. 2000), are 

shown in Figure 8 and Figure 16. Juveniles, adults, 

males, and females are considered together. Spiny 

dogfish enter Long Island Sound mostly in late spring 

(May and June), when they occurred in 10% of the 

samples (Figure 16D). Spiny dogfish depart when 

waters become too warm. In the autumn they return to 

the Sound, and the largest catches and widest 

distributions occur during November, with 45.7% 

occurrence (Figure 16A). They are caught in the deep 

waters of the central basin and eastern Sound, and 

occurred as far west as the Western Basin. Black sea 

bass and winter skate co-occur with dogfish at this 

season and location (Gottschall et al. 2000). 

Spiny dogfish are transient visitors to the HudsonRaritan estuary. In the Hudson-Raritan trawl survey 

from 1992-1997 (Figure 9), spiny dogfish of the 

medium size class (sex not recorded) were occasionally 

captured. From 1994 through 1996, they were caught in 

small numbers each December at stations near the 

estuary mouth. In 1997, a few individuals were caught 

in November (NOAA/NMFS/NEFSC, James J. Howard 
Page 5

Marine Sciences Laboratory, Highlands, NJ, 

unpublished data). 

The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) 

trawl surveys from 1988-1999 of Chesapeake Bay and 

its tributaries collected spiny dogfish primarily during 

the cold water months of November to April (Figure 

10), mostly near the Bay mouth (Figure 11) (Geer 

2002). Their average size was 79.4 cm. Spiny dogfish 

migrate offshore during the summer months and return 

inshore between November and January to release their 

young (Murdy et al. 1997). This inshore migration is 

confirmed in the VIMS data where 68% of the catch 

occurred in the last two months of the year (Geer 2002) 

Spiny dogfish have been reported from many east 

coast estuaries in addition to the above. They enter 

estuaries in summer and fall, but only in outer portions 

where the water is cooler and more saline. 

In summary, off the northeast United States, 

juvenile and adult spiny dogfish are highly migratory 

from north to south and vice versa. In spring the 

distributions of juveniles and adults overlap. In autumn, 

juveniles are scattered along the outer shelf south of 

New Jersey and in large groups on Georges Bank; 

meanwhile, adults are heavily concentrated on 

Nantucket Shoals, along the eastern edge of Cape Cod, 

in Cape Cod and Massachusetts Bays, along inshore 

waters and within estuaries. 

A portion of the management unit of spiny dogfish 

occupies Canadian waters in summer. In summer trawl 

surveys of the Bay of Fundy and the Scotian Shelf, 

Canada, 1970-1998, spiny dogfish generally follow the 

same ontogenetic distribution pattern as off the United 

States northeast coast in the warmer months. Juveniles 

40-60 cm are sparsely collected far from the coast, 

particularly in the Fundian Channel in summer. Dogfish 

> 60 cm are common midshelf in the Bay of Fundy and 

on the southern Scotian Shelf (Shepherd et al. 2002). 

Cluster analysis was performed on NEFSC trawl 

survey data, grouping major groundfish taxa into 

assemblages based on their spatial distributions 

(Garrison 2000). In spring NEFSC trawl surveys, 

juvenile and adult spiny dogfish were collected mainly 

on the outer shelf and shelf edge (Figure 4 and Figure 

6). From the spring 1991-1997 surveys, Garrison 

(2000) grouped medium and large spiny dogfish in the 

spatial assemblage found on the inner and outer 

southern New England shelf (waters from Cape Cod to 

south of Long Island) as well as in the assemblages 

found on the northeast flank of Georges Bank and the 

inshore Gulf of Maine. In autumn surveys, medium (37-

80 cm) and large (> 80 cm) spiny dogfish dominated 

the assemblage located in the inshore portion off 

southern New England, as well those of the northeast 

flank of Georges Bank and the inshore Gulf of Maine. 

Medium spiny dogfish also dominated spatial 

assemblages on central and southern Georges Bank. 

Small dogfish (< 37 cm) composed little of the 

biomass. 

HABITAT CHARACTERISTICS 

Information on the habitat characteristics of spiny 

dogfish are presented here and summarized in Table 4 

by life history stage. 

The habitat of the spiny dogfish consists of 

physical and biological components. Physical factors 

such as temperature, salinity, and depth are measured 

where spiny dogfish have been caught geographically 

and are here reported in the context of each survey. 

Laboratory studies of temperature and salinity 

tolerances or preferences have not been done. The 

associated biological component of spiny dogfish 

habitat also has an influence on the species as profound 

as the surrounding physical conditions. 

Worldwide, spiny dogfish favor the temperature 

range of 7-15°C (Compagno 1984). Compagno (1984) 

contends their migrations are governed by temperature 

changes. Migrations may be over great distances in 

order to seek out preferred conditions. 

In summer trawl surveys of the Bay of Fundy and 

the Scotian Shelf (Shepherd et al. 2002), the lower limit 

of temperatures at which spiny dogfish are caught is 6-

7°C although the survey area includes locations with 

temperatures as low as 1.6°C. When the cold Labrador 

Current flows into the area, dogfish migrate farther 

south. The highest temperature in the surveyed area is 

about 9°C, and dogfish are collected frequently at that 

temperature. The mean salinity in locations where they 

are caught is 33.5 ppt. Large females are abundant on 

the nearshore shelf and in lower salinities, perhaps to 

allow maximal growth of their embryos in warmer 

coastal waters. It is known that their embryos grow 

faster at higher temperatures (Jones and Ugland 2001). 

Zamon (2003) noted the importance of tidal stages 

and currents to spiny dogfish. On flood tides around 

rocky islands, tidal rips and jets concentrate the 

plankton sought by schooling fish, such as Pacific 

herring and Pacific sandlance. Spiny dogfish follow 

these fish schools. On the western U.S. coast these 

features define migration routes as well as feeding 

locations, but on the northeast U.S. coast, the 

continental shelf is mainly flat with only some channels 

and canyons. Comparisons of distributions in fall and 

spring NEFSC bottom trawl surveys do not suggest any 

impediments to migration from channels or canyons. 

Spiny dogfish undergo daily vertical migrations. In 

a midwater trawl study of offshore basins of Nova 

Scotia, which reach depths of 275 m, juvenile and adult 

dogfish were found near the bottom in daylight and rose 

to 150 m at night, possibly following their copepod 

prey (Sameoto et al. 1994). 

Besides physical conditions, biotic habitat 

components (prey, predators, competitors, mates) may 

drive the distribution of spiny dogfish. Considering 

their prey (Table 2 and Table 3), essential fish habitat 

inferences can be made on spiny dogfish distribution 

based on prey distribution. Ctenophores are found in 
Page 6 

swarms, usually at the surface but descend to 30 m at 

times (Gosner 1978). Northwest Atlantic Cephalopoda

Illex illecebrosus and Loligo pealeii migrate to offshore 

and waters down to 500 m in the winter, while in the 

summer they are found in aggregations inshore 

(Cargnelli et al. 1999; Macy and Brodziak 2001). 

Euphausiacea are shrimplike crustaceans which occur 

in aggregations, ascend to the surface at night and move 

down to the depths during the day, and their predators 

are known to migrate vertically to follow them 

(Thompson and Allen 2000). Sand lance school in the 

water column but are mainly found in and near sand 

and gravel (Burgess 2002). Schooling fish such as 

Clupeidae and Scombridae are generally found in the 

water column; these and other pelagic fish and squid 

follow their planktonic prey (Garrison et al. 2002). 

Gadidae, Sciaenidae, and other fish are demersalpelagic. In the middle Atlantic during 1997-1980 (Table 

3), 47% of the diet was the epibenthic flatfish 

Symphurus sp.

From the list of diet items, which includes bivalves 

and crabs, it can be concluded that dogfish spend a 

portion of their time feeding at the sediment surface, 

but there are no known published observations of their 

behavior. Benthic substrates suitable for epifaunal and 

infaunal prey must be soft rather than hard (Compagno 

1984). Throughout NEFSC trawl surveys, 

concentrations of adult and juvenile spiny dogfish are 

found along shelf edges, in the Gulf of Maine, on 

Georges Bank, and in Massachusetts Bay, in areas of 

soft sediments and rock outcrops (Figure 4 and Figure 

7). In Long Island Sound, dogfish are collected over 

sand, mud, and transitional sand-mud bottoms 

(Gottschall et al. 2000). At the edge of the Hudson 

Canyon spiny dogfish were collected over soft sediment 

(V. Guida, NOAA/NMFS/NEFSC, James J. Howard 

Marine Sciences Laboratory, Highlands, NJ, pers. 

comm.). Scott (1982b) in trawl surveys off Nova Scotia 

found spiny dogfish over all five types of bottom they 

sampled: glacial till, sand and gravel, sand, silt, and 

clay. Off New Zealand, spiny dogfish are distributed 

over sand or silt-mud bottoms (Jacob et al. 1998). 

Off Argentina, immature spiny dogfish feed mainly 

upon pelagic prey, while adults feed mainly upon squid 

and hake which are classified as demersal-pelagic 

(Alonso et al. 2002). The authors related the change in 

diet with a change in dogfish habitat from pelagic to 

demersal as the animals matured, but could not 

determine if the changes were for nutritional needs or 

for needs associated with mating or safety from 

predation. 

Other biological components of the habitat are 

predators and competitors. Large sharks, skates, silver 

and white hake, Atlantic cod, weakfish, tilefish, 

goosefish, lancetfish, bluefish, striped bass, whales, 

killer whales, seals, dolphins, and other large fish and 

mammals are known to eat spiny dogfish (Jensen et al.

1961; Compagno 1984; Stillwell and Kohler 1993). 

When teleost fish and spiny dogfish are roughly equal 

in body size, they act as competitors or co-occurring 

fauna. Within the plankton-feeding trophic guild of 

juvenile spiny dogfish is the shortfin squid Illex

illecebrosus, while the piscivorous trophic guild of 

adult spiny dogfish includes skates, pollock, red hake, 

sea raven, four-spot flounder, and summer flounder 

(Garrison and Link 2000a; Overholtz et al. 2000). 

JUVENILES

The spring and fall distributions of juvenile spiny 

dogfish relative to bottom water temperature, depth, 

and salinity based on 1963-2003 NEFSC bottom trawl 

surveys from the Gulf of Maine to Cape Hatteras are 

shown in Figure 12. During spring, juveniles were 

captured from 3-17°C; most were found between about 

6-13°C. They were captured at depths between 11-500 

m, with the majority found below 50 m. They were 

found in a salinity range of about 24-36 ppt, with the 

majority between 33-35 ppt. During the autumn, the 

juveniles were found over a temperature range of 5-

18°C; most were found at about 8-14°C. Their depth 

range during that season was from 11-400 m; most 

were found below 40 m. They were found in a salinity 

range of 31-36 ppt, with the majority between 32-34 

ppt. 

The spring and autumn distributions of juvenile 

spiny dogfish in Massachusetts coastal waters relative 

to bottom water temperature and depth based on 1978-

2003 Massachusetts inshore trawl surveys are shown in 

Figure 13. During the spring they were found in waters 

with bottom temperatures of 2-14°C; most were found 

from 6-11°C, with a large peak in catch at 7°C. Their 

depth range was from 6-75 m, with the majority found 

at < 36 m. During the autumn, they were found over a 

temperature range of 3-21°C. Their temperature 

distribution was somewhat bimodal, with one peak 

from about 6-11°C and a smaller peak between 12-

15°C. Their autumn depth ranged from 6-85 m, with the 

majority between 16-45 m. 

ADULTS 

The spring and fall distributions of adult spiny 

dogfish relative to bottom water temperature, depth, 

and salinity based on NEFSC bottom trawl surveys 

from the Gulf of Maine to Cape Hatteras are shown in 

Figure 14. During the spring they were found over a 

temperature range of 3-14°C; most were found from 6-

10°C. They were spread over a depth range between 1-

500 m. They were found in a salinity range of 29-36 

ppt, with the highest catches and occurrences, relative 

to the trawls, at 34-35 ppt. During the autumn, they 

were found over a temperature range of 5-18°C, with 
Page 7

the majority between 6-16°C. Their autumn depth 

ranged from 11-400 m, with some higher catches 

between 21-40 m. They were found over a salinity 

range of 30-35 ppt, with the majority between 32-34 

ppt. 

The spring and autumn distributions of adults in 

Massachusetts coastal waters relative to bottom water 

temperature and depth based on Massachusetts inshore 

trawl surveys are shown in Figure 15. In the spring they 

were found in waters with bottom temperatures of 1-

16°C; most were found from 6-11°C. Their depth range 

was from 11 m to about 85 m, with the majority found 

from about 16-50 m. During the fall they were found 

over a temperature range of 5-20°C, with most from 

about 6-15°C. They were spread over a depth range of 

6-85 m, with the majority < 65 m. 

The distributions and abundances of spiny dogfish 

in Long Island Sound relative to depth and bottom type, 

based on the Connecticut Fisheries Division bottom 

trawl surveys (Gottschall et al. 2000), are shown in 

Figure 16. Most spiny dogfish observed from spring 

through fall were found in the Eastern Basin in depths > 

27 m over sand and transitional bottom (Figure 8). Of 

553 spiny dogfish caught from April to August, only 

eight were caught in depths < 18 m (Gottschall et al.

2000). They were also found in deep water across the 

Mattituck Sill in the Central Basin, but their occurrence 

decreased from east to west. In late fall, as their overall 

abundance increased (Figure 16A), their abundance was 

similar on mud and transition bottoms, but they were 

less abundant on sand (Figure 16B). Abundance 

generally increased with depth (Figure 16C), but most 

spiny dogfish were taken in depths > 18 m (90% of 

total catch), with the largest catches occurring > 27 m 

(Gottschall et al. 2000). 

In the Hudson-Raritan Estuary trawl survey, spiny 

dogfish were caught from the months of November 

through January at bottom depths of 13-20 m, at bottom 

water temperatures between 7.1-11.3°C, at bottom 

dissolved oxygen levels between 8.2-11.2 mg/L, and at 

bottom salinities between 30.7-32.2 ppt 

(NOAA/NMFS/NEFSC, James J. Howard Marine 

Sciences Laboratory, Highlands, NJ, unpublished data). 

The catch locations were in areas of silt, mud, and 

occasional sand and gravel. 

The hydrographic preferences of the total catch of 

spiny dogfish in Chesapeake Bay and tributaries from 

the 1988-1999 VIMS trawl surveys are shown in Figure 

17 (all years and months combined). They were found 

in colder waters (< 12oC), and prefer saltier waters of 

the Bay mouth (> 22 ppt) at depths > 6 m (Geer 2002). 

They were also found in areas of high dissolved oxygen 

(> 7.5 mg/l) (Geer 2002). 

RESEARCH NEEDS 

The following research needs are suggested: 

 Improve knowledge of young juvenile spiny 

dogfish location and causes of mortality. 

 Improve modeling of life history and fisheries. 

 Generate better estimates of recreational catch 

and mortality from fishery discards. 

 Study dogfish occurrence related to currents, 

upwelling, and convergences. 

 Model the impact of global temperature 

increase upon the distribution of dogfish and 

other carnivorous fishes on the northwest 

Atlantic shelf. 

 Assess information from midwater trawl and 

hydroacoustic studies about the use of various 

depths by spiny dogfish, their co-occurrence 

with planktonic invertebrates and prey fish, 

and their vertical migrations. 

 Assess information from seabed video of the 

activities and feeding behavior of spiny 

dogfish near various bottom types or features. 

 Conduct laboratory bioassays of temperature 

tolerance. 

 Determine if there is a relationship between 

energy content of the diet of juvenile dogfish 

and their slow growth. 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

Thanks go to Vincent Gallucci, Gabrielle Gerlach, 

Vincent Guida, John McCarthy, Dave Packer, Beth 

Phelan, Paul Rago, Susan Smith, Katherine Sosebee, 

and others for their assistance. 

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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. 

Jones, B.C. and G.H. Green. 1977. Food and feeding of 

spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) in British 

Columbia waters. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 34: 

2067-2078. 

Jones, T.S. and K.I. Ugland. 2001. Reproduction of 

female spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias in the 

Oslofjord. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 99: 685-690. 

Laptikhovsky, V.V., A.I. Arkhipkin, and A.C. 

Henderson. 2001. Feeding habits and dietary 

overlap in spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias

(Squalidae) and narrowmouth catshark 

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Biol. Ass. U.K. 81: 1015-1018. 

Link, J.S. and F.P. Almeida. 2000. An overview and 

history of the food web dynamics program of the 

Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Woods Hole, 

Massachusetts. NOAA Tech. Mem. NMFS-NE159. 

Link, J.S. and M.D. Ford. 2006. Widespread and 

persistent increase in Ctenophora in the continental 

shelf ecosystem off NE USA. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 

320: 153-159. 

Link, J.S. and L.P. Garrison. 2002. Changes in 

piscivory associated with fishing induced changes 

to the finfish community on Georges Bank. Fish. 

Res. 55: 71-86. 
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Link, J.S., L.P. Garrison, and F.P. Almeida. 2002. 

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groundfish species on the northeastern US 

continental shelf. I. Evaluating predation. North 

Am. J. Fish. Manage. 22: 550-562. 

Macy, W.K., III and J.K.T. Brodziak. 2001. Seasonal 

maturity and size at age of Loligo pealeii in waters 

of southern New England. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 58: 

852-864. 

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. 

Maurer, R.O., Jr. and R.E. Bowman. 1975. Food habits 

of marine fishes of the northwest Atlantic. Data 

report. U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv. Northeast Fish. 

Cent. Woods Hole Lab. Ref. Doc. No. 76-3. 

McCauley, L., C. Goecker, P. Parker, T. Rudolph, F. 

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Characterization and isolation of DNA 

microsatellite primers in the spiny dogfish (Squalus 

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of the dorsal spine method of age determination for 

spiny dogfish. In: Summerfelt, R.C., Hall, G.E., 

editors. Age and growth of fish. Ames, IA: Iowa 

State Univ. Press. p. 287B300. 

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. 1998. 

Spiny dogfish Fishery Management Plan. Draft. 

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

appendices. 

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Smithsonian Institution Press. 324 p. 

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Assessment Workshop: Stock Assessment Review 

Committee (SARC) Consensus Summary of 

Assessments. Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 

06-16. 400 p. 

Overholtz, W.J., J.S. Link, and L.E. Suslowicz. 2000. 

Consumption of important pelagic fish and squid 

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Rago, P.J., K.A. Sosebee, J.K.T. Brodziak, S.A. 

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habitat source document: Fishery independent 

surveys, data sources, and methods. NOAA Tech. 

Mem. NMFS-NE-122. 39 p. 

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Zooplankton prey selection by juvenile fish in the 

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1003-1020. 

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preferences of common fishes of the Scotian Shelf. 

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

Aquat. Sci. 39: 943-947. 

Shepherd, T., F. Page, and B. Macdonald. 2002. Length 

and sex-specific associations between spiny 

dogfish (Squalus acanthias) and hydrographic 

variables in the Bay of Fundy and Scotian Shelf. 

Fish. Oceanogr. 11: 78-89. 

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of the spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias, in the 

northwestern Atlantic. MS thesis, State Univ. of 

NY, Stony Brook, 97 p. 

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. 

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elasmobranch maturity possible? J. Northw. Atl. 

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McFarlane. 1991. Variations in diet, daily ration, 

and feeding periodicity of Pacific hake (Merluccius 

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off the lower west coast of Vancouver Island. Can. 

J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 48: 2118-2128. 

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. 

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migration and associated pelagic fish abundance. 

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the management of spiny dogfish (Squalus 

acanthias) in Puget Sound, WA. Abstract. First 

Int.. Symp. Manage. Biol. Dogfish Sharks. June 

13B15, 2005. Seattle, Washington. 

<http://www.fish.washington.edu/research/sharks/
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dogfish_abstracts.pdf> Accessed 2006 Jan. 3. 

Zamon, J.E. 2003. Mixed species aggregations feeding 

upon herring and sandlance schools in a nearshore 

archipelago depend on flooding tidal currents. Mar. 

Ecol. Prog. Ser. 261: 243-255. 
Page 11

Table 1. The age and length at maturity of female spiny dogfish in the northwest Atlantic. 

Area A50

(yrs) 

L50

(cm) 

Year Source 

Newfoundland 7-8 74 1940s Templeman 1944 

Gulf of Maine 75 1950s Bigelow and Schroeder 1953 

Gulf of Maine and Georges 

Bank 

12-13 76 1979-1981 Slauson 1982 

Mid-Atlantic and southern New 

England 

12.1 79.9 1980-1981 Nammack et al. 1985 

Northwest Atlantic shelf: Gulf of 

Maine to Cape Hatteras 

 83.1 1968-1990 Marques da Silva 1993 

Gulf of Maine 12 76-78 Burgess 2002 

Northwest Atlantic shelf: Gulf of 

Maine to Cape Hatteras 

 79 2002 Sosebee 2005 

(A50) Age at which 50% of females are mature 

(L50) Length at which 50% of females are mature 
Page 12

Table 2. Diet composition of spiny dogfish by fish length category. 

Data expressed as percentage of stomach content by weight. Squared brackets indicate major taxon subtotal; parentheses 

indicate minor taxon subtotal. Source: Bowman et al. (2000); from NEFSC groundfish surveys, 1977-1980. 

 Length Category (cm) 

Stomach Contents <31 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-100 101-110 Total 

CTENOPHORA [2.6] [2.3] [1.7] [0.8] [0.7] [0.6] [0.9] [<0.1] - [0.5] 

MOLLUSCA [20.2] [51.5] [36.5] [58.3] [16.6] [28.4] [27.3] [23.1] [25.1] [26.6] 

Bivalvia (<0.1) -27 -8.4 -1.7 -0.9 -1.9 -7.4 -11.3 -12.4 -7.7 

Pectinidae - 27 8.4 1.7 - - 3.7 6.1 12.4 4.2 

Bivalvia unid. <0.1 - - - 0.9 1.9 3.7 5.2 - 3.5 

Cephalopoda -20.2 -24.5 -24 -56.6 -15.7 -23.1 -19.9 -10.9 -12.7 -17.8 

Illexsp. - - - 4.9 3 7.3 6.5 4.2 - 5.2 

Loligosp. - - - 5.3 5.2 3.4 2.6 3.3 8.9 3.4 

Cephalopoda unid. 20.2 24.5 24 46.4 7.5 12.4 10.8 3.4 3.8 9.2 

Mollusca unid. - - -4.1 (<0.1) - -3.4 - -0.9 - -1.1 

CRUSTACEA [4.1] [1.8] [9.5] [8.5] [7.6] [2.9] [2.8] [5.0] [0.8] [4.3] 

Euphausiacea -0.7 -1.2 -1.4 -4.4 -6.6 -2.1 (<0.1) (<0.1) - -0.8 

Decapoda -1.6 - -7.6 -3.4 -0.7 -0.8 -2.6 -5 -0.6 -3.3 

Cancerspp. 0.6 - 6.8 0.2 0.3 0.2 1.9 4.5 0.6 2.5 

Decapoda unid. 1 - 0.8 3.2 0.4 0.6 0.7 0.5 <0.1 0.8 

Crustacea unid. -1.8 -0.6 -0.5 -0.7 -0.3 (<0.1) -0.2 (<0.1) -0.2 -0.2 

OSTEICHTHYES [13.6] [22.6] [44.2] [22.3] [49.9] [36.1] [62.0] [58.4] [66.0] [53.7] 

Ophichthidae - - - - - - - 1.2 - 0.5 

Alosa aestivalis - - - - - - 3.3 - - 0.9 

Alosa pseudoharengus - - - - - 1.7 - 4.3 - 2.1 

Brevoortia tyrannus - - - - - 0.4 - - - 0.1 

Clupea harengus - - - - - 2.9 - 1.3 - 1.1 

Etrumeus teres - - - - - - - 0.6 - 0.2 

Clupeidae - - - 2.5 1.6 5.4 0.3 - - 1.3 

Melanogrammus aeglefinus - - - - - - 1.9 - - 0.5 

Merluccius bilinearis - - - - - - 0.3 1.5 - 0.7 

Urophycis chesteri - - - - - - - 1 - 0.4 

Urophycis chuss - - - - - - 4.3 1.5 - 1.8 

Urophycissp. - - - - - - 5.3 - - 1.5 

Gadidae - <0.1 - <0.1 <0.1 3.8 2 - <0.1 1.4 

Belonidae - - - - 8.1 - - - - 0.3 

Carangidae - - - - - - - 1.4 - 0.5 

Stenotomus chrysops - - - - - - 0.7 - - 0.2 

Astroscopussp. - - - - - - - 0.9 - 0.4 

Anarhichassp. - - - - - - - 2.2 - 0.9 

Ammodytes dubius - - - 0.1 2.6 2.4 0.6 6.5 2 3.4 

Scomber scombrus - - - - - - 6.3 - - 1.8 

Paralichthys dentatus - - - - - 0.1 - 1 - 0.4 

Scophthalmus aquosus - - - - - - 0.3 0.6 - 0.3 

Symphurussp. - - - - - 1.4 11.4 4.6 8.4 5.6 

Hippoglossus hippoglossus - - 3.6 - - - - - - <0.1 

Pleuronectes ferruginus - - - <0.1 - - - 0.4 - 0.2 

Osteichthyes unid. 13.6 22.6 40.6 19.7 37.6 18 25.3 29.4 55.6 27.2 

ANIMAL REMAINS AND MISC. [59.5] [21.8] [8.1] [10.1] [25.2] [32.0] [7.0] [13.5] [8.1] [14.9] 

 

Number sampled 226 307 164 235 207 697 368 423 35 2662 

Number empty 124 187 104 125 101 357 152 114 8 1272 

Mean stomach content (g) 0.261 0.393 1.252 2.705 3.901 6.421 16.711 20.553 24.003 9.72 

Mean fish length (cm) 27 34 45 55 66 75 85 94 103 78 
Page 13

Table 3. Diet composition of spiny dogfish by geographical area. 

Data expressed as percentage of stomach content by weight. Squared brackets indicate major taxon subtotal; parentheses 

indicate minor taxon subtotal. Source: Bowman et al. (2000); from NEFSC groundfish surveys, 1977-1980. 

Geographic Area 

Stomach Contents Middle Atlantic 

Southern 

New

England 

Georges 

Bank

Gulf of 

Maine 

Scotian

Shelf 

Inshore 

South of 

Cape

Hatteras

Inshore 

North of 

Cape

Hatteras

CTENOPHORA [0.1] [0.4] [0.1] [0.3] [<0.1] - [2.6] 

MOLLUSCA [22.6] [36.7] [25.8] [27.9] [26.3] [5.3] [12.1] 

Bivalvia -17.3 -13.6 -7.3 - - -1.9 -2.8 

Pectinidae 3.6 9.4 4.6 - - - 2.1 

Bivalvia unid. 13.7 4.2 2.7 - - 1.9 0.7 

Cephalopoda -5 -22.4 -17.2 -24.7 -26.3 -3.4 -9.1 

Illexsp. - 7.3 1.7 13.9 - - 4.2 

Loligosp. - 6.6 5.3 - - 1.3 4.1 

Cephalopoda unid. 5 8.5 10.2 10.8 26.3 2.1 0.8 

Mollusca unid. -0.3 -0.7 -1.3 -3.2 (<0.1) - -0.2 

CRUSTACEA [1.3] [1.3] [5.7] [3.5] [0.4] [1.6] [14.5] 

Euphausiacea (<0.1) (<0.1) (<0.1) -3.4 -0.2 - -1.8 

Decapoda -1.3 -1.1 -5.7 -0.1 -0.1 -1.6 -11.9 

Cancerspp. 1 1.1 4.5 - <0.1 - 9.5 

Decapoda unid. 0.3 <0.1 1.2 0.1 0.1 1.6 2.4 

Crustacea unid. (<0.1) -0.2 (<0.1) (<0.1) -0.1 - -0.8 

OSTEICHTHYES [72.7] [55.8] [49.9] [40.9] [30.6] [92.4] [60.4] 

Ophichthidae - - - - - 14.3 - 

Alosa aestivalis - - 3.9 - - - - 

Alosa pseudoharengus - 6.6 0.9 0.7 - - - 

Brevoortia tyrannus - - - - 1.1 - - 

Clupea harengus - 1.9 - - - - 6 

Etrumeus teres 2 - - - - - - 

Clupeidae - 1 <0.1 1 - - 8.7 

Melanogrammus aeglefinus - 2.1 - - - - - 

Merluccius bilinearis - 1.2 1.4 - - - - 

Urophycis chesteri - 1.6 - - - - - 

Urophycis chuss - 2.3 5 - - - - 

Urophycissp. 0.1 5.6 - - - - - 

Gadidae - 5.2 <0.1 - - - - 

Belonidae - - - 1.7 - - - 

Carangidae - - - - - - 5.5 

Stenotomus chrysops - 0.7 - - - - - 

Astroscopussp. - - - - - 10.7 - 

Anarhichassp. - - - 4.9 - - - 

Ammodytes dubius 3.6 2.1 0.5 12.2 - 0.1 1 

Scomber scombrus - - - - 25.8 - - 

Paralichthys dentatus - 1.5 0.1 - - - - 

Scophthalmus aquosus - 0.9 - - - 2.2 - 

Symphurussp. 47.4 - - - - - - 

Hippoglossus hippoglossus - - 0.1 - - - - 

Pleuronectes ferruginus - - - 0.9 - - <0.1 

Osteichthyes unid. 19.6 23.1 38 19.5 3.7 65.1 39.2 

ANIMAL REMAINS AND MISC. [3.3] [5.8] [18.5] [27.4] [42.7] [0.7] [10.4] 

 

Number sampled 276 735 783 417 238 17 196 

Number empty 150 407 353 190 112 0 60 

Mean stomach content (g) 9.464 7.787 6.783 9.395 6.351 43.469 11.083 

Mean fish length (cm) 62 58 65 76 74 93 84 
Page 14

Table 4. Summary of habitat parameters for spiny dogfish based on the pertinent literature. 

Life Stage Depth Substrate Salinity Temperature/Season 

Spawning

Adults 1

Outer continental shelf, 41-

400 m. 

 Pelagic or demersal Oceanic Late fall to winter 

Juveniles As in adults Juveniles are mainly 

pelagic. 

Oceanic See adults 

Adults 2 In eastern Long Island 

Sound, 25-40 m. 

On the Scotian Shelf depth 

range 36-364 m, preferred 

depths 36-53 and 128-180 

m. 

Off New Zealand caught at 

100-300 m. 

Adults are demersal at 

times, swimming over 

areas of sand, silt, and 

mud where food is 

available.

In eastern Long Island 

Sound, they are found 

in areas of sand, sand 

waves, mud, and 

transitional sand-mud 

bottoms. 

On the Scotian Shelf, 

glacial till, sand and 

gravel, sand, silt, and 

clay.

Off New Zealand, sand 

or silt-mud bottoms. 

On the Scotian 

Shelf, salinity 

range 31-34 ppt, 

preferred 33.5 

ppt. 

In eastern Long 

Island Sound, 

mean salinity 

30-32 ppt. 

In Long Island Sound, 7-13°C in 

spring and autumn. 

Scotian Shelf in summer, range 3-

11°C, preferred 6-9°C. 

Off New Zealand 6.5-10 °C. 
Page 15

Table 4. Cont’d. 

Life Stage Prey Predators / Species Associations

Juveniles3 On the northwest Atlantic shelf they prey upon ctenophores, salps, 

scallops, squid, euphausiids, Cancer spp. crabs, Clupeidae (herring) 

bay anchovies, Gadidae (hakes), Ammodytidae (sand lances), 

Scombridae (mackerel), butterfish, and halibut. Most fish prey are 

unidentifiable. 

On the United States and Canada west coast they eat plankton, 

octopus, squid, amphipods, euphausiids, shrimp, Clupeidae, and 

Ammodytidae. 

In the Irish Sea they prey upon ctenophores, amphipods, euphausiids, 

mud shrimps, ghost shrimps, hermit crabs, Clupeidae, Gadidae, 

Ammodytidae, and Scombridae. On the continental shelf of 

Argentina, juvenile spiny dogfish feed pelagically, mainly upon fish 

and ctenophores. In the Black Sea they consume whiting, red mullet, 

black goby, sprat, crangonid shrimp, and other crustaceans. Off New 

Zealand they prefer squat lobster postlarvae, euphausiids, and lesser 

amounts of other crabs and fish. 

Predators are larger spiny dogfish 

and other species that prey upon 

adult spiny dogfish. 

Associated or competing species 

of small and medium dogfish 

belong, as well as they do, to a 

guild of mainly planktonic 

predators, including longfin squid, 

Atlantic herring, mackerel, alewife 

and butterfish. 

Adults4 Throughout the northwest Atlantic shelf, adults feed on scallops, other 

bivalves, squid, crabs, shrimp, Clupeidae (herring), and Gadidae 

(hakes). Scombridae (mackerel) are among the prey consumed on the 

Scotian Shelf. Squid, Ammodytidae (sand lances) and Belonidae 

(needlefish) are important in the diets in the Gulf of Maine. On 

Georges Bank the primary prey are squid, Cancer spp. crabs, 

Clupeidae, and Gadidae. In southern New England and the middle 

Atlantic waters the prey are much the same, and additionally fish such 

as butterfish and Sciaenidae (spot, croaker, and weakfish). 

Other reported prey taxa in the northwest Atlantic include gastropods, 

octopus, ctenophores, jellyfish, polychaetes, sipunculids, amphipods, 

sea cucumbers, blennies, sculpins, and Pleuronectiformes (flatfish and 

tonguefish). 

Off South Carolina they consume menhaden, among other fish. 

On the west coast of the United States and Canada they consume 

plankton, ctenophores, euphausiids, shrimp, brachyuran crabs, 

Chimaeridae, Clupeidae, Gadidae, and Pleuronectiformes. 

In the waters surrounding Great Britain they consume ctenophores, 

crustaceans, Clupeidae, Gadidae, Ammodytidae, and Scombridae. On 

the continental shelf of Argentina, they feed mainly upon squid, 

Argentine hake, southern cod, Falkland herring, octopods, and comb 

jellies. In the Black Sea, they feed on whiting, red mullet, black goby, 

sprat, crangonid shrimp, and other crustaceans. Off New Zealand they 

eat crustaceans and fish, eating proportionally more fish as their size 

increases. 

Predators in the northwest Atlantic 

include larger sharks, white hake, 

goosefish, Atlantic cod, striped 

bass, whales, killer whales, seals, 

dolphins, and other large fishes. 

Competitors include the above 

predator species when they are 

comparable in size to the dogfish. 

Large dogfish belong to a trophic 

guild of fish predators that 

includes thorny skate, Atlantic 

sharpnose shark, red hake, spotted 

hake, Atlantic cod, silver hake, sea 

raven, goosefish, summer 

flounder, fourspot flounder, and 

bluefish. These can be thought of 

as associated or competing 

species.

Spawning

Adults

Same as adults. Same as adults.

1

 NEFSC trawl surveys. 

2

 Scott (1982a, 1982b); Jacob et al. (1998); Gottschall et al. (2000); Shepherd et al. (2002). 3

 Jones and Green (1977); Bowman et al. (1984); Hanchet (1991); Ellis et al. (1996); Garrison and Link (2000a, b); 

Avsar (2001); Laptikhovsky et al. (2001); Burgess (2002); Alonso et al. (2002), Link et al. (2002). 4

 Holden (1966); Jones and Green (1977); Bowman et al. (1984); Hanchet (1991); Ellis et al. (1996); Garrison and Link 

(2000a, b); Avsar (2001); Laptikhovsky et al. (2001); Burgess (2002); Alonso et al. (2002); Link et al. (2002). 
Page 16

Figure 1. The spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias (from Goode 1884). 
Page 17

Figure 2. Overall distribution and abundance of spiny dogfish in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. 

Based on research trawl surveys conducted by Canada (DFO) and the United States (NMFS) from 1975-1994. 
Page 18

Diet Composition of Major Prey Items 

<36 cm

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Well

Digested

Prey

Squids

Misc.

CrustaceansCtenophores

Decapods

Euphasiids

Larvaceans

Other Fish

Percent

36-79 cm

0

5

10

15

20

25

Ammodytes

sp.

Well

Digested

Prey

Bivalves

Squids

Clupeids

Ctenophores

Decapods

Anchovies

Euphasiids

Gadids

Other Fish

Scombrids

Percent

>=80 cm

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Ammodytes

sp.

Well

Digested

Bivalves

Squids

Clupeids

Cottids

Ctenophores

Decapods

Anchovies

Gadids

Other Fish

Flatfishes

Sciaenids

Scombrids

Butterfish

Zoarcids

Percent

Figure 3. Percent by weight of the major prey items in the diet of three size categories of spiny dogfish. 

Specimens were collected during NEFSC bottom trawl surveys from 1973-2001 (all seasons). For details on NEFSC diet 

analysis, see Link and Almeida (2000). 
Page 19

Figure 4. Seasonal distributions and abundances of juvenile spiny dogfish collected during NEFSC bottom trawl 

surveys.

Based on NEFSC winter bottom trawl surveys (1964-2003, all years combined). Distributions are displayed as presence 

(positive tows) only. 
Page 20

Figure 4. Cont’d. 

Based on NEFSC spring bottom trawl surveys (1968-2003, all years combined). Survey stations where juveniles were 

not found are not shown. 
Page 21

Figure 4. Cont’d. 

Based on NEFSC summer bottom trawl surveys (1963-1995, all years combined). Distributions are displayed as 

presence only. 
Page 22

Figure 4. Cont’d. 

Based on NEFSC fall bottom trawl surveys (1963-2003, all years combined). Survey stations where juveniles were not 

found are not shown. 
Page 23

Figure 5. Seasonal distributions and abundances of juvenile and small adult male spiny dogfish in Massachusetts 

coastal waters. 

Based on spring Massachusetts inshore bottom trawl surveys (1978-2003, all years combined). Survey stations where 

juveniles were not found are not shown. 

Adult (60-82 cm) Males 
Page 24

Figure 5. Cont’d. 

Based on fall Massachusetts inshore bottom trawl surveys (1978-2003, all years combined). Survey stations where 

juveniles were not found are not shown. 

Adult (60-82 cm) Males
Page 25

Figure 6. Seasonal distributions and abundances of adult spiny dogfish collected during NEFSC bottom trawl surveys. 

Based on NEFSC winter bottom trawl surveys (1964-2003, all years combined). Distributions are displayed as presence 

only. 
Page 26

Figure 6. Cont’d. 

Based on NEFSC spring bottom trawl surveys (1968-2003, all years combined). Survey stations where adults were not 

found are not shown. 
Page 27

Figure 6. Cont’d. 

Based on NEFSC summer bottom trawl surveys (1963-1995, all years combined). Distributions are displayed as 

presence only. 
Page 28

Figure 6. Cont’d. 

Based on NEFSC fall bottom trawl surveys (1963-2003, all years combined). Survey stations where adults were not 

found are not shown. 
Page 29

Figure 7. Seasonal distributions and abundances of adult spiny dogfish in Massachusetts coastal waters. 

Based on spring Massachusetts inshore bottom trawl surveys (1978-2003, all years combined). Survey stations where 

adults were not found are not shown. 
Page 30

Figure 7. Cont’d. 

Based on fall Massachusetts inshore bottom trawl surveys (1978-2003, all years combined). Survey stations where adults 

were not found are not shown. 
Page 31

Figure 8. Distributions and abundances of juvenile and adult spiny dogfish in Long Island Sound. 

Based on 1,627 fish taken in 2,859 tows during the finfish surveys of the Connecticut Fisheries Division, 1984-1994. 

The largest circle size represents a tow with a catch of > 50 specimens. Source: Gottschall et al. (2000). 
Page 32

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

Figure 9. Distributions and abundances 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]. 
Page 33

Figure 10. Catch per unit effort for total catch of spiny dogfish in the lower Chesapeake Bay and tributaries. 

Based on the Virginia Institute of Marine Science’s (VIMS) trawl surveys, 1988-1999 (all years combined). Source: 

Geer (2002). 
Page 34

Figure 11. Distribution and abundance of spiny dogfish in the lower Chesapeake Bay and tributaries. 

Based on the VIMS trawl surveys, 1988-1999 (all years combined). Monthly surveys were conducted using a random 

stratified design of the main stem of the Bay using a 9.1 m semi-balloon otter trawl with 38 mm mesh and 6.4 mm cod 

end with a tow duration of five minutes. Source: Geer (2002). 
Page 35

Spiny Dogfish

NEFSC Bottom Trawl Survey

Spring 1968 - 2003

Juveniles

Males <60 cm, Females <83 cm

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1-10

11-2021-3031-4041-5051-6061-7071-8081-90

91-100

101-120121-140141-160161-180181-200201-300301-400401-500

>500

Bottom Depth (m)

Percent

Trawls N=12514

Occurrence N=3320

Catch N=207043

0

10

20

30

40

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38

Salinity (PPT)

Percent

Trawls N=2270

Occurrence N=1096

Catch N=29910

0

5

10

15

20

25

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

Bottom Temperature (°C)

Percent

Trawls N=10879

Occurrence N=2819

Catch N=176827

Figure 12. Distributions of juvenile spiny dogfish and trawls from NEFSC bottom trawl surveys relative to bottom water 

temperature, depth, and salinity. 

Based on NEFSC spring bottom trawl surveys (temperature and depth: 1968-2003, all years combined; salinity: 1991-

2003, all years combined). Light bars show the distribution of all the trawls, dark bars show the distribution of all trawls 

in which spiny dogfish occurred and medium bars show, within each interval, the percentage of the total number of spiny 

dogfish caught. Note that the bottom depth interval changes with increasing depth. 
Page 36

Spiny Dogfish

NEFSC Bottom Trawl Survey

Fall 1963 - 2003

Juveniles

Males <60 cm, Females <83 cm

0

5

10

15

20

1-10

11-2021-3031-4041-5051-6061-7071-8081-90

91-100

101-120121-140141-160161-180181-200201-300301-400401-500

>500

Bottom Depth (m)

Percent

Trawls N=14186

Occurrence N=2481

Catch N=111656

0

10

20

30

40

50

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38

Salinity (PPT)

Percent

Trawls N=2272

Occurrence N=454

Catch N=7807

0

10

20

30

40

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

Bottom Temperature (°C)

Percent

Trawls N=12207

Occurrence N=2080

Catch N=89591

Figure 12. Cont’d. 

Based on NEFSC fall bottom trawl surveys (temperature and depth: 1963-2003, all years combined; salinity: 1991-2003, 

all years combined). Light bars show the distribution of all the trawls, dark bars show the distribution of all trawls in 

which spiny dogfish occurred and medium bars show, within each interval, the percentage of the total number of spiny 

dogfish caught. Note that the bottom depth interval changes with increasing depth. 
Page 37

Spiny Dogfish

Massachusetts Inshore Trawl Survey

Spring 1978 - 2003

Specimens < 83 cm

Juvenile Females, Juvenile (<60 cm ) & Small Adult (60-82 cm ) Males

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1-5

6-10

11-1516-2021-2526-3031-3536-4041-4546-5051-5556-6061-6566-7071-7576-8081-85

Bottom Depth (m)

Percent

Trawls N=2482

Occurrence N=279

Catch N=13676

0

10

20

30

40

50

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

Bottom Temperature (°C)

Percent

Trawls N=2407

Occurrence N=274

Catch N=13662

Figure 13. Distributions of juvenile and small adult male spiny dogfish and trawls in Massachusetts coastal waters 

relative to bottom water temperature and depth. 

Based on spring Massachusetts inshore bottom trawl surveys (1978-2003, all years combined). Light bars show the 

distribution of all the trawls, dark bars show the distribution of all trawls in which spiny dogfish occurred and medium 

bars show, within each interval, the percentage of the total number of spiny dogfish caught. 

Adult (60-82 cm) Males 
Page 38

Spiny Dogfish

Massachusetts Inshore Trawl Survey

Fall 1978 - 2003

Specimens < 83 cm

Juvenile Females, Juvenile (<60 cm ) & Small Adult (60-82 cm ) Males

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1-5

6-10

11-1516-2021-2526-3031-3536-4041-4546-5051-5556-6061-6566-7071-7576-8081-85

Bottom Depth (m)

Percent

Trawls N=2338

Occurrence N=496

Catch N=77693

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

Bottom Temperature (°C)

Percent

Trawls N=2244

Occurrence N=484

Catch N=73129

Figure 13. Cont’d. 

Based on fall Massachusetts inshore bottom trawl surveys (1978-2003, all years combined). Light bars show the 

distribution of all the trawls, dark bars show the distribution of all trawls in which spiny dogfish occurred and medium 

bars show, within each interval, the percentage of the total number of spiny dogfish caught. 

Adult (60-82 cm) Males 
Page 39

Spiny Dogfish

NEFSC Bottom Trawl Survey

Spring 1968 - 2003

Adults

Males >=60 cm, Females >= 83 cm

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

1-10

11-2021-3031-4041-5051-6061-7071-8081-90

91-100

101-120121-140141-160161-180181-200201-300301-400401-500

>500

Bottom Depth (m)

Percent

Trawls N=12514

Occurrence N=3481

Catch N=217073

0

10

20

30

40

50

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38

Salinity (PPT)

Percent

Trawls N=2270

Occurrence N=1054

Catch N=53426

0

5

10

15

20

25

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

Bottom Temperature (°C)

Percent

Trawls N=10879

Occurrence N=2948

Catch N=183285

Figure 14. Distributions of adult spiny dogfish and trawls from NEFSC bottom trawl surveys relative to bottom water 

temperature, depth, and salinity. 

Based on NEFSC spring bottom trawl surveys (temperature and depth: 1968-2003, all years combined; salinity: 1991-

2003, all years combined). Light bars show the distribution of all the trawls, dark bars show the distribution of all trawls 

in which spiny dogfish occurred and medium bars show, within each interval, the percentage of the total number of spiny 

dogfish caught. Note that the bottom depth interval changes with increasing depth. 
Page 40

Spiny Dogfish

NEFSC Bottom Trawl Survey

Fall 1963 - 2003

Adults

Males >=60 cm, Females >= 83 cm

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1-10

11-2021-3031-4041-5051-6061-7071-8081-90

91-100

101-120121-140141-160161-180181-200201-300301-400401-500

>500

Bottom Depth (m)

Percent

Trawls N=14186

Occurrence N=1870

Catch N=123127

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38

Salinity (PPT)

Percent

Trawls N=2272

Occurrence N=690

Catch N=46705

0

5

10

15

20

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

Bottom Temperature (°C)

Percent

Trawls N=12207

Occurrence N=1483

Catch N=92259

Figure 14. Cont’d. 

Based on NEFSC fall bottom trawl surveys (temperature and depth: 1963-2003, all years combined; salinity: 1991-2003, 

all years combined). Light bars show the distribution of all the trawls, dark bars show the distribution of all trawls in 

which spiny dogfish occurred and medium bars show, within each interval, the percentage of the total number of spiny 

dogfish caught. Note that the bottom depth interval changes with increasing depth. 
Page 41

Spiny Dogfish

Massachusetts Inshore Trawl Survey

Spring 1978 - 2003

Specimens >= 83 cm

Adult Females, & Large Adult Males

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1-5

6-10

11-1516-2021-2526-3031-3536-4041-4546-5051-5556-6061-6566-7071-7576-8081-85

Bottom Depth (m)

Percent

Trawls N=2482

Occurrence N=488

Catch N=4071

0

5

10

15

20

25

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

Bottom Temperature (°C)

Percent

Trawls N=2407

Occurrence N=479

Catch N=4055

Figure 15. Distributions of adult spiny dogfish and trawls in Massachusetts coastal waters relative to bottom water 

temperature and depth. 

Based on spring Massachusetts inshore bottom trawl surveys (1978-2003, all years combined). Light bars show the 

distribution of all the trawls, dark bars show the distribution of all trawls in which spiny dogfish occurred and medium 

bars show, within each interval, the percentage of the total number of spiny dogfish caught. 
Page 42

Spiny Dogfish

Massachusetts Inshore Trawl Survey

Fall 1978 - 2003

Specimens >= 83 cm

Adult Females, & Large Adult Males

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1-5

6-10

11-1516-2021-2526-3031-3536-4041-4546-5051-5556-6061-6566-7071-7576-8081-85

Bottom Depth (m)

Percent

Trawls N=2338

Occurrence N=524

Catch N=23305

0

5

10

15

20

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

Bottom Temperature (°C)

Percent

Trawls N=2244

Occurrence N=516

Catch N=22228

Figure 15. Cont’d. 

Based on fall Massachusetts inshore bottom trawl surveys (1978-2003, all years combined). Light bars show the 

distribution of all the trawls, dark bars show the distribution of all trawls in which spiny dogfish occurred and medium 

bars show, within each interval, the percentage of the total number of spiny dogfish caught. 
Page 43

Figure 16. Relative abundance (geometric mean catch/tow) catch/tow and percent occurrence (proportion of samples in 

which at least one individual was observed) for spiny dogfish in Long Island Sound by month, month and bottom type, 

and month and depth interval. 

Source: Gottschall et al. (2000). 
Page 44

Figure 17. Hydrographic preferences for spiny dogfish total catch in Chesapeake Bay and tributaries, from the VIMS 

trawl surveys, 1988-1999 (all years combined). 

Source: Geer (2002). 
Publishing in NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE

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NMFS, or Marine Fisheries Review).

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

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Publications and Reports

of the

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MEDIA

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