NESA Species Hunt 2013

[Aqua-holic]

Common eel

[Thunderpants]

I've just had a poke around on the interent and it turns out that Marlin gets its information from the National Biodiversity Network. They have a website here and you can put a species in the search box and it will give you a map National Biodiversity Network Gateway.

Any of us on here can enter species records and it is done through the Marine Biological Association with this link Record your sightings | Marine Biological Association of the UK They will verify and validate the submissions before using them which means they will CONFIRM THE SPECIES for us So, no need for me to write to them with a bunch of photos just log on youself at the MBA website and fill in the form, send them a photo and one of their marine biologists should read it and add it to the national database if confirmed. Of course if you do this please post back on here so we know the result.

[lobsterwells]

[ATTACH]7935[/ATTACH]
LS sea scorpion
[ATTACH]7936[/ATTACH]
Greater sand eel
[ATTACH]7937[/ATTACH]
weeverfish

[Thunderpants]

Mackerel



Table Updated.

[Geordie-UK]

Plaice



Greater Spotted Dogfish (Huss)



Poor Cod



Butterfish



Almost had a smoothhound to go on as well....but it hadn't taken the hook...but took this instead...and chucked it up as soon as it came topside



barsteward

[Thunderpants]

Hard lines on the hound mate. That's a lesser spotted dogfish not a huss. Good fishing there well done. You are now top of the league !

[Geordie-UK]

Nope, its a huss, lesser spotted doggies have a much more pointed nose, more like a shark, the huss nose is more blocky, and the lower lid on the eyes are thicker on a huss, a huss's belly is also creamier clolour than a lesser, thats why I took that shot as I could not get the damn thing to settle in my hand, it was constantly flicking over or writhing to get a decent shot, so settled for nose, eyes and belly(ish) shot
There is a good shot at another forum of the nose shapes.

lsd and huss- World Sea Fishing Forums | Sea Angling and Sea Fishing Online | Fishing Reports

I know the best shot is of the nasal flaps, but there is more than enough in the pic to show it as a huss.

[finding nemo]

i cought this last week, assumed it was lsd so didnt take any other pics what is your opinion on it, obviously i couldnt enter it in the hunt but be nice to know ive had a huss if indeed it is one

[toonboymc]

looks like a dogfish to me m8

[finding nemo]

They both look like doggys to me aswell

When we fished etive early in the year i had a doggy over 2lb that had a big box shaped head and all feedback was that it was lsd and not huss
To be fair as with the rocking saga to enter a huss i think the shot of nasal flaps must be included as that seems to be the only clear defining feature

here we go again lol

[Geordie-UK]

Well I'm not going to start another debate on a species, just didn't really want to go out and get another huss for a clear nasal flap pic as I would not have a lesser spotted doggie, but got one called as one... its for my own gratification that I would have the correct species listed, so I guess the only thing I can do is go out and catch both, which is no hardship really, its just I go out and target a specific species when I go fishing, my next trip out was for rays and smoothound, so I guess its back to doggies next trip.

Nemo, your pic doesn't show the eyes, the lower lid on a huss is very thick, spots have been found to be both small and large, black and white on all UK doggies, so they are not guaranteed to be a good ID, yours has a mix of small and large, it does however, have a saddleback, and a stubby snout, so I'm erring towards a huss.

But as a point for everyone, they are now called Catsharks, although dogshark would have been better

[finding nemo]

At the end of the day you are possitive of what it is.

this hunt means nothing to your own peace of mind.

i could only indentify using nasal photos but like you have pointed out there is other ways.

colouration clearly means nowt.

well done on the huss ill get one next couple of weeks i hope

[Thunderpants]

Colouration does matter mate. That's where the names come from. The Greater Spotted Dogfish (Huss) has greater (bigger) spots and the Lesser Spotted Dogfish has lesser (small) spots. Have a look at this picture from the LRSAC website you can clearly see the difference. The GSD is on the top and the LSD is on the bottom. Both the fish posted in the hunt have the smaller lesser spots of an LSD.

[Pete from shields]

Both pics are lesser doggies, a few for me for the species for me Mike please, blenny and wrasse.

[toonboymc]

A grey gurnard for mad rob