Dogfish Numbers Collapsing In Coastal Pacific NW Waters

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Pity the dogfish — misunderstood, reviled and sometimes maimed by sport salmon fishermen who inadvertently hook them and throw them overboard to die. Now the population of these small sharks is at historic lows in our inland waters. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife estimates that dogfish numbers in 2001 were one-sixth those of 1987.

Overfishing is a major reason for the dramatic decline, say researchers, along with naturally occurring changes in the ocean's food supply and dogfish predators including seals and the six-gill shark, which is three times larger than a dogfish. Also, after the 1974 Boldt decision that allocated half of the salmon catch to Native Americans, non-tribal fishermen began going after species that live in the deepest parts of Puget Sound, where mature dogfish live.

Some in the commercial dogfish industry argue that there are still large numbers of dogfish. But statistics for 2001, the most recent year available, show that there were 1.75 million dogfish in Washington's inland waters, according to the state's estimate. That compares with more than 10 million dogfish a decade and a half earlier. Even local sport-fishing guides have noticed the decline.

Dave Morgison, owner of Possession Point Fishing Charters of Everett, has been fishing Sound waters for five decades and says 15 or 20 years ago dogfish would blanket parts of the water by the thousands. But, he says, that's no longer true, especially this year. "To be honest with you, I've only caught one."

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