Fecundity of Northeast Atlantic spurdog (Squalus acanthias)

Abstract

A large catch of mature, female spurdog (Squalus acanthias) was made on 22 November 2005 in the Irish Sea. Examination of a subsample of 202 of these fish (82-117-cm total length, L) indicated that 28% were carrying near-term pups, 70% year one pups, and 1% candles. Uterine fecundity (F) for those fish that were not considered to have aborted pups (n = 179) ranged from 3 to 21 and increased with total length, where F = 0.428 L-31.87. The upper limits of these fecundity estimates are the highest recorded for spurdog in the Northeast Atlantic. These data are discussed in relation to previously published fecundity estimates and the possibility of a density-dependent increase in fecundity. Crown Copyright © 2008. Published by Oxford Journals on behalf of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. All rights reserved.