Species profile
North Pacific Spiny Dogfish
Squalus suckleyi
At a glance
North Pacific Spiny Dogfish (Squalus suckleyi) is an IUCN Least Concern shark or ray present across the CatchRules coverage area but without species-specific bag, size, or season rules tracked in our regulatory dataset.
Confirmed by 399 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with British Columbia, Washington, and Alaska the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Recognized as a species distinct from the Atlantic spiny dogfish as recently as 2010.
- May live up to 80 years or more, making it one of the longest-lived sharks known.
- Found from the Bering Sea south to Baja California along the Pacific coast.
- Like its Atlantic cousin, it has venomous dorsal spines that can wound careless handlers.
- Forms massive migratory schools that can stretch for miles in open water.
Where North Pacific Spiny Dogfish are seen
Background
The Pacific spiny dogfish is a common species of the Squalidae (dogfish) family of sharks and are among the most abundant species of sharks in the world. This species is closely related to the Spiny dogfish and for many years they were treated as a single species. Recent research, using meristic, morphological and molecular data led to the resurrection of the Pacific spiny dogfish as a separate…
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's North Pacific Spiny Dogfish article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other sharks & rays on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.