Dogfish

Is this the same things as a spiny dogfish?

I think they're the same, or at least a close relative.  As a kid I caught quite a few spiny dogfish sharks surf casting in Jersey.  Tried eating one once.  Tasted horrible.  But I've been told that had I prepared it correctly to get the urea out of the flesh it would have been OK.

All sharks piss through their skin.  Some are just worse than others about the urea content.

Dogfish are the sorriest shark ever invented.

Dogfish are the sorriest shark ever invented.

+1

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Dogfish are the sorriest shark ever invented.

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+2. I've tried eating them too. wont make that mistake again 

Dogfish are the sorriest shark ever invented.

+1

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

+2. I've tried eating them too. wont make that mistake again 

You didn't??!?!

From wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiny_dogfish

The spiny dogfish...Squalus acanthias, is one of the best known of the dogfish which are members of the family Squalidae in the order Squaliformes. While these common names may apply to several species, Squalus acanthias is distinguished by having two spines (one anterior to each dorsal fin) and lacks an anal fin...

Spiny dogfish are fished for food in Europe, the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Chile. The meat is primarily consumed in England, France, the Benelux countries and Germany. The fins and tails are processed into fin needles and are used in less expensive versions of shark fin soup in Chinese cuisine. In England this and other dogfish are sold in fish and chip shops as "rock salmon" or "huss", in France it is sold as "small salmon" (saumonette) and in Belgium and Germany it is sold as "sea eel" (zeepaling and Seeaal, respectively).

Bon appetit?

In England, a lot of dogfish is now used for the beloved fish and chips due to the cod being so scarce now.  The trick to preparing dogfish is cleaning immediately and skinning as soon as possible.  Different citrus marinades can help with the scent, but freezing also works though there are a couple different schools of thought about what freezing does to the meat.  There are all sorts of recipes and preparations for dogfish out there   I have considered harvesting 1 and trying it out once I can find a nice freezer chest for my garage.

Given how apparently plentiful they are, it would be good if there was an easy way to make them edible.  Not holding my breath though.  But I'll look for your report on the results of the experiment.

I found a citrus marinade online for it. Was still terrible! you could smell the uric acid when it was cooking, and it tasted like the smell of piss. I tried blackening a piece of the marinated fillet too. No bueno! I'm sure there are better ways to prep it, but I'm done experimenting with DF. I hope you have far more success!!

http://www.amazon.com/The-dogfish-cookbook-Russ-Mohney/dp/0914718134

I have this book somewhere.  Never actually tried dogfish.  There is a preparation for the meat which removes the urea. 

Sharks do not actually, "piss through their skin", what they do is regulate the osmotic pressure of their internal tissues by regulating the concentration of urea circulating in their blood. 

One of my first experiences fishing in the NW was on Budd inlet, the rail track bridge right before captial lake; used to be able to fish from it.  Got some herring and hooks, had no clue really and tossed a line out, there were a handful a fisherman and kids around including one Asian guy with his kid.  Got a nice pull on my line, hauled in a 4 ' dogfish.  Very similar to the Sand sharks I caught as a boy in the Bay Area.  The Asian fellow ask me if I wanted it and I shook my head.  He grabbed it and his kid and was done for the day, quite the Happy Fisherman he looked.  I assumed he new a trick I didn't but have never bothered to find out.  Had heard about the fish & chips deception, Rock Salmon is the commericial name or some nonsense like that.

soaking dogfish fillets in milk, left in the refrigerator over night, will usually remove the urea effect as long as you have kept the fish cold after catching.  I found that icing them down is a must.  they are bony so make sure you check thoroughly and the flesh is not overly firm.  I personally don't rate them a prime fish but if you are hungry for something fresh, they are easy and plentiful to catch just about anytime of year.  Just drop a herring down on the bottom and wait.  I caught quite a few in Puget Sound, by Bainbridge Island, and with light tackle they can be fun.

If any one wants a swift kick to the shins I would be more than happy to offer it up free of charge. It really isn't as painful as some people say and if you ice you shin up first it kinda numbs the area so it hurts even less....

I think I'll pass on dog fish. I put it in the same category as Atlantic salmon and Kraft Mac-n-cheese. Some people eat it but I would rather just a salad at that point .... and I don't like salad.

In England, a lot of dogfish is now used for the beloved fish and chips due to the cod being so scarce now.

Looks like the Atlantic dogfish are getting scarce too 

Once the most abundant shark species in the world, populations of Squalus acanthias have declined significantly. They are classified in the IUCN Red List of threatened species as Vulnerable globally and Critically Endangered in the Northeast Atlantic, meaning stocks around Europe have decreased by at least 95%. This is a direct result of overfishing to supply northern Europe's taste for Rock Salmon, Saumonette or Zeepaling. Despite these alarming figures, very few management or conservation measures are in place for Squalus acanthias.

In the recent past the European market for spiny dogfish has increased dramatically, which led to the overfishing and decline of the species. This drastic increase led to the creation and implementation of many fishery management policies placing restrictions on the fishing of spiny dogfish. However, since the species is a late maturing fish, it takes a while to rebuild the population.

According to the sources cited in the wiki article it takes ~21 years for a female dogfish to mature and even then they only have a few young at a time. Not exactly a fecund and fast growing animal. Even if they are abundant in some areas, as a species they are definitely vulnerable to overfishing due to their life history..