Are you terrified of sharks? Then maybe now is not the time to go to Sæby Harbor.
Spiny dogfish are swimming very close to shore here.
"It's unusual both that they are so far in, and that they are there in such large numbers that you can catch them from land," says marine biologist Rune Kristiansen from the Kattegat Centre.
When it comes to hooking spiny dogfish, Lasse Dam Mortensen brings a very specific bait.
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Anglers flock to the harbor
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Angler Lasse Dam Mortensen has caught several spiny dogfish and also prepares them at home.
"There have been a lot of them, and there never have been before," says Lasse Dam Mortensen, who works at JC Fishing Tackle and Leisure, located 15 meters from Sæby Harbor.
Last year, spiny dogfish were also found at the harbor. But they were only there for one week, whereas this year they have been there since the autumn break.
Many anglers from all over the country have traveled to Sæby in recent weeks to hook spiny dogfish.
"The interest has been enormous. People come all the way from Funen and Copenhagen," says Lasse Dam Mortensen.
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Facts about the Spiny Dogfish
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* It was protected from commercial fishing in 2010 and became legal to fish again in 2023
* Anglers have always been allowed to fish it
* The spines of the spiny dogfish are poisonous, hence the name spiny dogfish
* The shark can live up to 75 years
* The shark can grow up to 160 cm long
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Great to catch them in Sæby
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Although spiny dogfish can be eaten, that is not the primary reason Lasse Dam Mortensen fishes for them.
It is the story behind it and the fact that he can catch them from land in Sæby that makes it fun, he says.
But he has tasted them:
"I have tried it smoked; it tastes like salted smoked fish, so it tastes fine."
He also says that spiny dogfish were once called king eel in the old days, but the fish is not as fatty as eel.
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Positive sign for the population
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Marine biologist Rune Kristiansen points to two reasons why the spiny dogfish has returned to Sæby Harbor.
"The female spiny dogfish school together and move with some prey towards land. Additionally, the fact that it was protected in 2010 has had an effect, because you can see an improvement in the population."
As Rune Kristiansen mentions, the spiny dogfish was protected from commercial fishing in 2010.
However, it became legal to fish again in 2023, and it has always been allowed for anglers to catch it.
Rune Kristiansen is positive to hear that there are now so many that you can fish them from land.
"It is a good sign that the protection has worked."
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Caught a shark? - Tip us
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Send a picture or video of your shark catch to: [email protected]
Warning: This article was translated by a Large Language Model, in case of doubt, you can always visit the original source.