Fish guide
Spiny Dogfish (non-target)
Squalus acanthias. Also called Dogfish, Dogs.
Common bait thief in spring and late fall; listed so you can identify it. Not a target. A spine in front of each dorsal fin.
Showing the fish for Massachusetts North Shore and Boston Harbor, MA.
Season in North Shore MA
Maine DMR Gulf of Maine pattern (late spring or early summer arrival, winter offshore). No MA-specific source. (Our inference)
Season by region
| Long Island | JFMAMJJASOND |
|---|---|
| Maine | JFMAMJJASOND |
| New Hampshire | JFMAMJJASOND |
| North Shore MA | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Rhode Island | JFMAMJJASOND |
| North Jersey | JFMAMJJASOND |
| South Jersey | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Delmarva | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Virginia Beach | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Outer Banks | JFMAMJJASOND |
Where to find them
South Shore surf and nearshore water in spring and late fall as the packs pass.
Anywhere, often in packs.
Handling
- Sharp spine in front of each dorsal fin
- Rough skin
Hold it behind the head clear of both spines, or pin it with a towel; unhook with pliers or cut the line.
Keep or release
Usually released. NOAA calls US wild-caught dogfish a good seafood choice; New York lists it as a shark that may be kept under the shark rules.
Typical: unknown. Large: Males to 3.3 ft, females to 4 ft.
Limits
FishOS has not checked the MA limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries before you keep a fish.
Sources
- Maine DMR species sheet: Spiny Dogfish (Official source)
- NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NE-150: EFH source document, spiny dogfish (1999) (Official source)
- NOAA Fisheries: Atlantic spiny dogfish (Official source)