Feeding ecology and community interactions of migratory spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) in North Carolina waters

Spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) is known to occur in large numbers in North Carolina waters during the winter months.  Despite its reputation as a voracious predator, little is known of the regional diet of spiny dogfish overwintering off of North Carolina.  Stomach contents were collected from dogfish in North Carolina waters during the USFWS-lead Cooperative Winter Tagging Cruise in February and the NOAA/NMFS Spring Bottom Trawl Survey in March.  Flushed stomach tubes were used to collect stomach contents during the NOAA/NMFS survey.  Abundance data were collected for all species trawled in North Carolina waters.  All prey items were identified to the lowest possible taxon and weight (g), number, and frequency of occurrence were recorded.  Diet and community data were compared between the two surveys.  399 dogfish were sampled, mostly large females captured in water less than 30 m in depth.  The diet included a variety of teleosts and invertebrates, and both benthic and pelagic species were present.  Community data differed between the two surveys.