Atlantic Spiny Dogfish

This is a Nature Guide page (viewing and ID). Shark fishing seasons, tackle, and regs live on the separate Fishing species profile and shark fishing guide.

How to recognize them

• Like all sharks, dogfish grow slowly, mature late in life, and live a long time (35 to 40 years).
• Females grow larger and mature later than males—they’re first able to reproduce at age 12 compared to males at age 6.
• They spawn in winter in offshore waters.
• Females have between two and 12 eggs per spawning season.
• The eggs are fertilized internally and, after a gestation period of 18 to 24 months, female dogfish bear live young (an average of six pups).
• They are opportunistic feeders, preying on whatever is most available.
• Smaller spiny dogfish tend to feed primarily on crustaceans, while larger dogfish like to eat jellyfish, squid, and schooling fish.
• Dogfish are preyed upon by cod, red hake, goosefish, other spiny dogfish, larger sharks, seals, and orcas.
• Where They Live Range Spiny dogfish are found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans, mostly in the temperate and subarctic areas.
• In the Northwest Atlantic, they are found from Labrador to Florida and are most abundant between Nova Scotia and Cape Hatteras.
• Habitat Spiny dogfish live inshore and offshore, usually near the bottom but also in mid-water and at the surface.
• They swim in large schools and migrate seasonally with changes in water temperature.
• Much of the population travels north in the spring and summer and south in the fall and winter.
• Some spiny dogfish remain in northern waters throughout the year and move offshore during the winter.
• Fishery Management NOAA Fisheries , the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils , and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission manage the Atlantic spiny dogfish fishery.
• The Mid-Atlantic Council leads the joint management of the Spiny Dogfish Fishery Management Plan : Fishermen must have a permit to harvest spiny dogfish.
• Annual catch limits and a commercial quota are set.
• Trip limits used to control the catch rate.
• The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission implements the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Spiny Dogfish in state waters, establishing complementary regulations to the federal regulations.
• Harvest In 2024, commercial landings of spiny dogfish in the Atlantic totaled approximately 8.5 million pounds, and were valued at $1.8 million, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database .
• The U.S. commercial fishery supplies European markets that use dogfish for fish and chips in England, and as a popular beer garden snack called shillerlocken in Germany.
• Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: Atlantic spiny dogfish are targeted by gillnet and longline vessels, mainly in state waters.
• They are often caught incidentally in trawl, gillnet, and longline fisheries for groundfish species.
• Trawls can impact habitat, depending on where they are used.
• Managers have implemented a variety of measures for groundfish trawl fisheries to protect habitat, including closing some areas to fishing and modifying fishing gear to reduce contact with habitat.
• Trawl and gillnet fisheries for groundfish can incidentally catch other fish and marine mammals (such as large whales, harbor porpoises, bottlenose dolphins) and sea turtles.
• Restrictions on gear and fishing effort in these fisheries reduce these interactions.
• Scientific Classification Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Chondrichthyes Order Squaliformes Family Squalidae Genus Squalus Species acanthias Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 06/25/2026

Biology notes

• Spiny dogfish are found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans, mostly in the temperate and subarctic areas.
• In the Northwest Atlantic, they are found from Labrador to Florida and are most abundant between Nova Scotia and Cape Hatteras.
• Habitat Spiny dogfish live inshore and offshore, usually near the bottom but also in mid-water and at the surface.
• They swim in large schools and migrate seasonally with changes in water temperature.
• Much of the population travels north in the spring and summer and south in the fall and winter.
• Some spiny dogfish remain in northern waters throughout the year and move offshore during the winter.
• Fishery Management NOAA Fisheries , the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils , and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission manage the Atlantic spiny dogfish fishery.
• The Mid-Atlantic Council leads the joint management of the Spiny Dogfish Fishery Management Plan : Fishermen must have a permit to harvest spiny dogfish.
• Annual catch limits and a commercial quota are set.
• Trip limits used to control the catch rate.
• The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission implements the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Spiny Dogfish in state waters, establishing complementary regulations to the federal regulations.
• Harvest In 2024, commercial landings of spiny dogfish in the Atlantic totaled approximately 8.5 million pounds, and were valued at $1.8 million, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database .
• The U.S. commercial fishery supplies European markets that use dogfish for fish and chips in England, and as a popular beer garden snack called shillerlocken in Germany.
• Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: Atlantic spiny dogfish are targeted by gillnet and longline vessels, mainly in state waters.
• They are often caught incidentally in trawl, gillnet, and longline fisheries for groundfish species.
• Trawls can impact habitat, depending on where they are used.
• Managers have implemented a variety of measures for groundfish trawl fisheries to protect habitat, including closing some areas to fishing and modifying fishing gear to reduce contact with habitat.
• Trawl and gillnet fisheries for groundfish can incidentally catch other fish and marine mammals (such as large whales, harbor porpoises, bottlenose dolphins) and sea turtles.
• Restrictions on gear and fishing effort in these fisheries reduce these interactions.
• Scientific Classification Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Chondrichthyes Order Squaliformes Family Squalidae Genus Squalus Species acanthias Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 06/25/2026

Habitat & range

• NOAA Fisheries , the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils , and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission manage the Atlantic spiny dogfish fishery.
• The Mid-Atlantic Council leads the joint management of the Spiny Dogfish Fishery Management Plan : Fishermen must have a permit to harvest spiny dogfish.
• Annual catch limits and a commercial quota are set.
• Trip limits used to control the catch rate.
• The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission implements the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Spiny Dogfish in state waters, establishing complementary regulations to the federal regulations.
• Harvest In 2024, commercial landings of spiny dogfish in the Atlantic totaled approximately 8.5 million pounds, and were valued at $1.8 million, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database .

Population status

• Spiny dogfish are slim, with a narrow, pointed snout and characteristic white spots.
• They are gray above and white below.
• They have two dorsal fins with ungrooved large spines.
• Males grow up to 3.3 feet, and females grow up to 4 feet.
• Biology Like all sharks, dogfish grow slowly, mature late in life, and live a long time (35 to 40 years).
• Females grow larger and mature later than males—they’re first able to reproduce at age 12 compared to males at age 6.

Where to see them around Ocean City

• Nearshore days: Inlet, guarded beaches, and bay overlooks. Farther days: watch for the same species from charter rails when water clarity and bait line up.
• Dawn and dusk often show more surface activity; midday heat can push fish deeper even when they are still in the area.
• Pair a beach walk with a short Inlet stop—two vantage points beat one crowded pier rail.
• Atlantic Spiny Dogfish sightings are usually brief—watch for a fin, wing, or dark shape rather than lingering surface shows.

When to look

• Expect the richest shore viewing in summer; spring and fall migrations can still light up the Inlet and beaches.
• After storms, wait for water to clear—murky days hide even common species from the beach.
• Likelihood stars on this page reflect how often Maryland visitors can reasonably hope to encounter the species nearby—not fishing success rates.

Viewing tips & etiquette

• Use binoculars or a long lens; do not enter the water to corner fish, rays, or sharks for photos.
• Respect beach nesting closures, stay off dunes, and keep dogs leashed where required.
• If you find a stranded or injured animal, contact official wildlife responders—do not attempt rescue yourself.
• For harvest rules or shark fishing trips, use the Fishing profile for Atlantic Spiny Dogfish or the shark fishing guide.

Sources

• NOAA Fisheries species profile (biology reference)
• OCEANCITY.MD Fishing species profile