The fishery for dogfish on the west coast of the 

 United States has been studied by Alverson and 

 Stansby (1963), who discussed the technological 

 developments in the use of dogfish and some 

 methods for control of the extensive populations. 

 They reviewed the fishery and its effects on the 

 abundance of the dogfish and recommended that 

 an economic use be developed for the. dogfish and 

 that research be instituted to determine the bio- 

 logical effects of control of the species. 



The possible uses of dogfish are the subject of 

 an extensive review by Osterhaug (1961), who 

 included a bibliography of 166 references on the 

 subject. The first part of the review discusses 

 the significance of the urea content of dogfish 

 flesh. The second part discusses possible uses in- 

 cluding animal feeds, particularly for ruminants 

 that are able to utilize urea in their diets. 



The fishery for dogfish on the east coast of the 

 United States was never as intensive, nor did it 

 ever reach the heights reported for the fishery on 

 the west coast. However, from time to time the 

 east coast fishery was active for oil, guano, meal, 

 and human food (fig. 9) . Details of the fishery are 

 outlined below. 



New Engiond States 

 Middle Atlantic Sto 



Figure 9. — Dogfish catch from the New England and 

 Middle Atlantic States, 1919-61. 



INDUSTRIAL USES 



One of the earliest mentions of an industrial 

 use for dogfish was made by Perley (1852), who 

 reported on the species in the Gulf of St. Law- 

 rence. He noted that the skins were used by cabi- 

 net makers to polish hardwood, the livers were 

 used for oil, and the carcasses were dried and fed 



as a winter food supplement to cattle. Pigs in 

 particular were said to thrive on this diet. 

 Reduction for Oil and Meal 



A fishery for dogfish existed around Province- 

 town, Mass., during the late 19th century and was 

 prosecuted with handlines baited with silver hake 

 (Storer, 1867). The fishery took place in Sep- 

 tember through November when the dogfish ap- 

 peared in the area during their seasonal migra- 

 tion. Only the livers were wanted for their oil — 

 one thousand livers yielded one barrel of oil — 

 and the oil was sold to tanners and curriers for 

 preparing and treating leather. 



In other places, the whole dogfish was used for 

 reduction, especially when more desirable species 

 such as menhaden were less abundant. A men- 

 haden reduction plant in East Boothbay, Maine, 

 processed dogfish for oil and guano (Gallup, 

 1883). The fishermen were paid $1 per 100 fish, 

 but it was suggested that the Federal government 

 pay a subsidy to encourage greater fishing effort. 

 Spiny dogfish was the principal species used for 

 oil and guano when a guano factory was estab- 

 lished at Woods Hole (Smith, 1898), but a scar- 

 city of the species in the season of 1897, and the 

 general irregularity of their supply, caused the 

 factory to turn to menhaden for raw material. 



Many early writers tried to stimulate utilization 

 of the dogfish by citing the different ways the fish 

 could be used. I. Field (1907) mentions that dog- 

 fish oil (liver oil?) was used for illumination in 

 some areas and that on Cape Cod the carcasses 

 were dried and used for fuel. G. Field (1912) 

 reports that on Cape Breton Island dogfish were 

 dried on fences and fed to horses as a diet supple- 

 ment and the well-yolked eggs were used experi- 

 mentally as a substitute for hen's eggs to tan 

 leather. 



Barraclough (1953) cites interesting historical 

 information about the early uses and develop- 

 ments of dogfish oils in and around the coastal 

 areas of British Columbia. The local Indians 

 processed the livers and used the oil obtained for 

 dressing skins and hides. Later, as lumbering 

 operations began in the area, the oils were used to 

 lubricate skidways on logging roads. The oil was 

 used extensively for lubrication and illumination 

 in sawmills, coal mines, and coastal lighthouses. 

 Most of the oil was processed in small home-type 

 operations, but in 1877 the first large commercial 



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U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



