Dogfish is a type of small shark that lives in the ocean. There are about 40 species (kinds) of dogfish. Most are less than 6 feet (1.5 meters) long. All dogfish have a sharp spine in front of each of the two dorsal (back) fins. The sharks use these spines for defense.
The best-known dogfish is the spiny dogfish. Spiny dogfish can be found along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America, and the Atlantic coast of Europe. In Europe, especially in England, spiny dogfish are an important food.
Scientists warn that some dogfish species are overfished. Dogfish are vulnerable to overfishing because they mature slowly and have few offspring.
One type of shark is sometimes called the smooth dogfish. However, it is not closely related to true dogfish. The name dogfish is also occasionally applied to the bowfin. But the bowfin is not a shark (see Bowfin).
