Editor's note: Recreational anglers just love to hear that the commercial fishery has been closed for the supposedly endangered spiny dogfish. It ensures that plenty of the pests will bite when anglers target bottom fish like sea bass. You love catching dogs, no? Anyway, the bad news comes just in time for recreationals to start turning their attention to bottomfishing this fall.

From the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Fisheries Service on August 23:

The spiny dogfish commercial quota available to the coastal states from Maine through Florida for May-October 2007 has been harvested. Federally permitted commercial vessels may not fish for, possess, transfer, or land Atlantic spiny dogfish until November 1, 2007, when new quota becomes available. Federally permitted dealers are also advised that they may not purchase Atlantic spiny dogfish from federally permitted spiny dogfish vessels.

For more information, read the Federal Register notice or contact Don.Frei@noaa.gov.

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