If you live in Grimsby you are bound to have heard of dogfish. You may even see them on the menu at your local chippy! But did you know that dogfish are actually sharks?
Sunday July 14 is Shark Awareness Day, organised by the European Wilderness Society to shift attitudes around sharks and boost awareness of these animals and everything they do for our sea ecosystems.
For many of us, Hollywood films have shaped our perception of sharks growing up, often in a negative way. The depiction of sharks as monstrous, blood-thirsty killing machines has led them to face serious threats. In reality, sharks are fascinating creatures playing an integral role in keeping our seas and oceans healthy.
The catshark (or lesser spotted dogfish) has other common names such as ‘rock salmon,’ under which it sometimes appears on the menu in our chip shops. Dogfish and catshark are the same animal. But don’t worry, dogfish are considered one of the most abundant living shark species in the ocean, so there is no fear of depleting stocks.
Dogfish are almost exclusively scavengers that prowl around on the seabed. Their egg cases frequently wash up on the shores at Cleethorpes as they use our shallow water and saltmarsh as nurseries.
They are part of the second-largest order of sharks, Squaliformes, which includes at least 130 different species. Dogfish are small with slender bodies and pointed snouts. Don’t let their small size fool you though, as their strong jaws and sharp teeth make them excellent predators.
Sharks are one of the oldest species on the planet, with fossil records showing they were in our seas at least 420-million years ago. They are far more threatened by humans than we are by them. In fact, while there are around 10 fatal shark attacks a year (with cows killing 20 people a year and falling coconuts 150), all of the human and environmental dangers they face combined together lead to an estimated 100-million sharks being killed by humans every year.
As top predators, sharks are vitally important for healthy ecosystems, preventing the populations of other animals from getting too large, and often preying on the old and sick, which helps keep the remaining populations in good shape.
This Shark Awareness Day you can become a citizen scientist and learn more about sharks and their frequency in our waters by finding and recording egg cases along our shores. Find out more about the Great Eggcase Hunt here Shark Trust Great Eggcase Hunt
Picture shows a dogfish egg case.
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