Length and sex‐specific associations between spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) and hydrographic variables in the Bay of Fundy and Scotian Shelf

Abstract

The associations between spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) and hydrographic variables (temperature, salinity and depth) were examined in the Bay of Fundy and Scotian Shelf from 1970 to 1998. Data were obtained from standard groundfish bottom trawl surveys. Dogfish sex affected habitat associations. Males were found to occupy bottom water of significantly higher salinities and depths than that occupied by females. Length also significantly affected habitat associations. Smaller dogfish occupied relatively deep, high salinity bottom water compared with larger dogfish. Overall, the occupied temperatures, salinities and depths were significantly different from those which were available. Dogfish occupied warmer temperatures along a narrow range (6.62–9.19°C) compared with those which were available (1.57–9.35°C). Occupied salinity (32.70–34.43 ppt) and occupied depth (88.62–184.66 m) were also distributed along a narrower range than available salinity (32.16–34.79 ppt) and available depth (55.00–218.10 m). Sex‐specific, length‐specific and overall environmental preference by dogfish may bias traditional `offshore' groundfish surveys while large scale changes in hydrographic parameters may alter dogfish distribution and their interactions with other marine fauna.