Caught incidentally in the commercial fishery off the Washington coast with otter-trawls. Caught incidentally by recreational harvesters off the outer Washington coast and in Puget Sound.
Description and Range
Physical description
The body of an adult sandpaper skate is slate black on the dorsal side and white on the ventral surface. Juveniles are uniform gray brown with small brown spots on the dorsal side. A single row of strong sharp spines runs continuously from the first dorsal fin down the mid-back and onto the tail. The snout is short, soft and triangular. The caudal fin is reduced and the pelvic fins are large and deeply notched. All fins are covered with scales. The dorsal surface feels rough.
The sandpaper skate can grow up to 86 cm (2.8 ft) in length. Maximum age is at least 18 years old
Geographic range
The sandpaper skate ranges from Cape Navarin in the Bering Sea and Agattu Island in the Aleutian Islands, to Cortez Bank, southern California. They are found from 23 to 1,500 m (75-491 ft) in depth but are most common at moderate depths of 200 to 500 m (656-1,640 ft). They are most commonly found on mud or sand bottoms.