SlotGaugeCheck a catchDogfish (smooth & spiny) regulations in Virginia
Sharks · Saltwater · 2026 season
Is it a keeper? Dogfish (smooth & spiny) has no size limit today, with No size or possession limit.
Dogfish (smooth & spiny) size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia marine waters (to 3 mi) | Open year-round | No size limit | No size or possession limit |
Notes
- No size or bag limit on smooth or spiny dogfish.
- Smooth dogfish must be landed whole (head and fins attached); spiny dogfish are exempt from the head-and-fins rule.
- Dogfish do not count toward the 1-per-vessel shark limit.
Exact Virginia Marine Resources Commission wording
- Season
- Open year-round
- Size
- None
- Limit
- No limit
- Virginia marine waters (to 3 mi) — as printed
- “No size or possession limits apply to Dog Sharks. ... All sharks (All species except Spiny Dog Sharks) must be landed with head and fins attached”
Source: Virginia Marine Resources Commission, captured 2026-09-21 (2026 season).
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About the dogfish
Species of shark
The spiny dogfish, 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.
Read more about Spiny dogfish on Wikipedia →
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from Virginia Marine Resources Commission, not Wikipedia.
Frequently asked
What is the size limit for Dogfish (smooth & spiny) in Virginia?
No size limit in Virginia state waters.
How many Dogfish (smooth & spiny) can you keep per day in Virginia?
No size or possession limit.
When is Dogfish (smooth & spiny) season in Virginia?
Open year-round.
Is my Dogfish (smooth & spiny) a keeper today?
Dogfish (smooth & spiny) has no size limit today, with No size or possession limit.