Why do fishermen want dogfish sharks?

Answer 1

Dogfish sharks are a commercially viable species meaning a fisherman can make money selling the fish. Fishermen earn about .25cents per pound for "spinys".

The meat of a dogfish is used in several countries as a source of food. In the UK the meat is used as the fish in one of England's staples "Fish and Chips". The fins of the dogfish are used by the Chinese as a delicacy often served at weddings and other such occasions. The belly flaps of a dogfish are served in the Beer Gardens of Germany as "scherlocken", a pickled snack.

The dogfish has been over regulated by NMFS for years and the population has become massive. The dogfish are highly predatory (as most sharks) and swim in large schools. They eat everything in their path including juvenile cod,pollack and haddock. The over population of these sharks is obvious as anyone who spends anytime fishing in the North East US can tell you. If you fish 400 hooks looking for cod you will pull up 400 dogfish.

NMFS has recognized their mistake and have implemented plans for fisherman to take more of these sharks to supply the European market and to "thin the herd" here at home in order to give other species a fighting chance to grow. Hope this answered your question.

Im a commercial fisherman out of New York.