Use of satellite tags to reveal the movements of spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias in the western North Atlantic Ocean.

The article examines the efficacy of a small popup satellite archival transmitting tag called the X-tag in tracking the movements of spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias in the western North Atlantic Ocean. Materials and methods used in the study are detailed. The results indicate the horizontal and vertical movements of each shark as well as the diel depth pattern of the species. In conclusion, a smaller transmitting tag can provide useful data on the movement patterns of a relatively small species of shark.