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Seafood Watch - Seafood Guide

Spiny Dogfish

© Monterey Bay Aquarium
SEAFOODRATINGMARKET NAMESWHERE CAUGHTHOW CAUGHT
Common Thresher Shark Good Alternative: These are good alternatives to the best choices column. There are some concerns with how they are fished or farmed – or with the health of their habitats due to other human impacts. Shark, Thresher California, Hawaii Wild-caught
Shark Avoid: Avoid these products for now. These fish come from sources that are overfished or fished or farmed in ways that harm the environment. Blacktip, Rock Cod, Sandbar, Shark Worldwide Wild-caught
Shortfin Mako Shark Good Alternative: These are good alternatives to the best choices column. There are some concerns with how they are fished or farmed – or with the health of their habitats due to other human impacts. Mako, Shark California, Hawaii Wild-caught
Spiny Dogfish Avoid: Avoid these products for now. These fish come from sources that are overfished or fished or farmed in ways that harm the environment. Dogfish, Rock, Rock Cod, Shark US, Canadian Atlantic Wild-caught
Spiny Dogfish Good Alternative: These are good alternatives to the best choices column. There are some concerns with how they are fished or farmed – or with the health of their habitats due to other human impacts. Dogfish, Rock, Rock Cod, Shark British Columbia Bottom Longline


Spiny Dogfish

Spiny dogfish from British Columbia is the only dogfish species with a "Good Alternative" recommendation.

Consumer Note

Many species are caught and sold under the generic name "shark." Dogfish shark is sometimes used as a substitute for cod in fish and chips and is sold as "rock."

Health Alert

Environmental Defense Fund has issued a health advisory for dogfish, due to elevated levels of mercury.

Summary

Spiny dogfish is one of the slowest-growing and longest-lived of all shark species. Most sharks, including dogfish, are in serious decline throughout the world due to severe overfishing and accidental catch in other fisheries.

Spiny dogfish is fished in the U.S. Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Concerns about population status and bycatch in these fisheries results in an "Avoid" recommendation.

However, data from the spiny dogfish fishery of British Columbia indicate that the population in this region is stable. In addition, the B.C. fishery is 80 percent bottom-longline-caught, which has minimal habitat damage and low bycatch.

Spiny dogfish from B.C. is therefore considered a "Good Alternative," but consumers should avoid all other species of dogfish from all other regions.

Recipe Alternatives
Pacific halibut is a "Best Choice" and farmed sturgeon is a "Good Alternative."

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