Spiny dogfish shark boom bane for Nova Scotia fishermen

Increasing numbersof spiny dogfish reportedin Nova Scotia waters are causingconcern for fishermen and scientists.

An analysis done byDepartment ofFisheries and Oceans scientists shows the number of spiny dogfishhas dramatically jumped in recent years.

"By comparison with some of the other sharks here, there's probably1,000 times more spiny dogfish out there than other sharks," said StevenCampana, head of the Canadian Shark ResearchLabratoryat theBedfordInstitute of Oceanography.

According to the report, in 2013there were nearly six timesmore tonnes of spiny dogfish caught in the 2013 survey off Nova Scotia, compared to the 2012 survey.

A total of 259,461 tonnes of spiny dogfish were recorded off the coast in 2013, compared to 44,310 in 2012 and just 3,353 in 2011.

"In the case of dogfish, it seems that people are the main influenceon numbers,"Campanasaid. "I would say while fishing remains light inCanada, we can expect more and more dogfish to appear, to be born andto grow in these waters. For the near future, it looks like the pathfor dogfish,onwards, is up."

Campana said the tiny shark is known to eatlocal favourites such as lobster and crab.

"Dogfish are probably one of the most despised fishes among manycommercial fishermen in Atlantic Canada," he said.

"They often willstrip bait from ground fish long liner hooks or clog up nets, andtherefore when commercial fishermen catch one they often catch hugenumbers of them."

Ocean Pride Fisheries in Lower Wedgeport was the largest processor ofspiny dogfish in the Maritimes until six years ago.

Drop in European demand shut down N.S. fishery

According to JulesLeBlanc, Ocean Pride Fisheries's chief operatingofficer, the company wasforced out of the market by European activists.

"As of 2008, due to environmental groups like Greenpeace and otherorganizations picketing retail and chain stores in mostly the Germanmarket, they took shark products off their shelves and we were forcedto stop harvesting and processing dogfish," he said.

At one point, Ocean Pride Fisheries processed dogfish six months of theyear, employed 60 to 70 people and bought fish from up to 30 harvesters.

"It was a cheap source of protein in the fish market cheaper thanmost other fish. It was small margins but large volume, so it workedout well for us," said LeBlanc.

Spiny dogfish, or "rock salmon" as it's better known, often substituteshigher-end shark meat. German chefs oftenpreferto cook with fins, whileBritish restaurants use the backs for fish and chips.

In Europe, dogfish is an endangered species.

"It is a totally different stock or population of spiny dogfish inEuropean waters than it is here," explained Campana.

Ocean Pride Fisheries hasn't processed a single pound ofdogfish since 2008. The company has since changed its plant to handle otherspecies.

While the rise of spiny dogfish in Nova Scotia doesn't bother LeBlanc,he believes it's affecting many others.

"I'm sure for other ground fish fishermen and the herring fishery,dogfish get bundled up in nets and chewing on hooks that are meant forother species.I'm sure it's a nuisance for them."

The Atlantic population of spiny dogfish ranges from Newfoundland and Labrador to Florida. The small sharks are common in Nova Scotia waters and can reach up to 1.5 metres in length.