Are Spiny Dogfish Considered Sharks Under the Sharkfin Ban?

August 3, 2017

Question: I know you can no longer buy shark fin soup at a restaurant. How about spiny dogfish fin soup? Are spiny dogfish included in this ban? (Anonymous)

Answer: Although the name may be confusing, dogfish are actually sharks in the elasmobranch subclass and are covered by Fish and Game Code, section 2021, which prohibits commercial trade of shark fins and products made thereof. A restaurant cannot lawfully sell shark fin soup made from the fins of a dogfish. As used in this section, “shark fin” means the raw, dried, or otherwise processed detached fin or the raw, dried, or otherwise processed detached tail, of an elasmobranch.