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Is Dogfish kosher?

No — Dogfish is not kosher under Jewish dietary law.

Not kosher. Dogfish are small sharks — cartilaginous fish without halachic scales. Commonly sold in fish-and-chips shops in Europe as "huss" or "rock salmon"; neither name changes the ruling.

Dogfish (Squalus acanthias)

Image: Photo by Doug Costa, NOAA/SBNMS · licensed Public domain · source

Scientific name
Squalus acanthias
Also known as
Spiny dogfish, Spurdog, Mud shark, Piked dogfish
Category
cartilaginous
Fins & scales
Fins ✓ , no scales ✗
Kosher status
Not kosher

About Dogfish

A small shark species common in temperate oceans. Despite the name, dogfish are cartilaginous fish, not fish-and-chip "rock salmon" in any kosher sense. The spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias), spurdog, mud shark, or piked dogfish is one of the best known species of the Squalidae (dogfishes) family of sharks, which is part of the Squaliformes order. While these common names may apply to several species, Squalus acanthias is distinguished by two spines (one anterior to each dorsal fin) and no anal fin. It lives in shallow waters and further offshore in most parts of the world, especially in temperate waters. Those in the northern Pacific Ocean were reevaluated in 2010 and found to constitute a separate species, now called the Pacific spiny dogfish (Squalus suckleyi). The spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias), spurdog, mud shark, or piked dogfish is one of the best known species of the Squalidae (dogfishes) family of sharks, which is part of the Squaliformes order. While these common names may apply to several species, Squalus acanthias is distinguished by two spines (one anterior to each dorsal fin) and no anal fin. It lives in shallow waters and further offshore in most parts of the world, especially in temperate waters. Those in the northern Pacific Ocean were reevaluated in 2010 and found to constitute a separate species, now called the Pacific spiny dogfish (Squalus suckleyi). Description and behaviour The spiny dogfish has dorsal fins, no anal fin, and white spots along its back. The caudal fin has asymmetrical lobes, forming a heterocercal tail. The species name acanthias refers to the shark's two spines. These are used defensively. If captured, the shark can arch its back to pierce its captor with spines near the dorsal fins that secrete a mild venom into its predator. This shark is known to hunt in packs that can range up into the thousands. They are aggressive hunters and have a sizable diet that can range from squid, fish, crab, jellyfish...

Kosher ruling

Not kosher. Dogfish are small sharks — cartilaginous fish without halachic scales. Commonly sold in fish-and-chips shops in Europe as "huss" or "rock salmon"; neither name changes the ruling.

Source: Orthodox Union, Chabad; Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0); Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)

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