Simultaneously Closed and Certified Feds End Dogfish Landings

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Gloucester based administrator of fisheries stopped all landings of dogfish. The six-month allocation was landed in three-months as fishermen easily caught the overabundant small schooling sharks. Dogfish fish have become an important fish in the northeast while cod and other groundfish have been rebuilding.

Many fishermen complain that the abundance of dogfish explains to some extent the slow recovery of cod. The 3,000 pound daily limit meant fishermen could earn about $700 a day fishing dogfish. Ironically, while the dogfish are not being fished they will be feeding on high value, low quota cod.

Dogfish is cited as one of the examples of fisheries mismanagement. Considered about 20 times more abundant that the next most abundant species, it has been a nuisance fish to commercial and recreational fishermen for decades. Dogfish swarm and eat bait and caught fish still in the water.