Sportfishing - Shark

Sharks are regulated as an Atlantic Highly Migratory Species by the National Marine Fisheries Service of the Federal Government. A federal permit is required for recreational fishing of these species. The season is open all year. Specific species are authorized for fishing, while others are specifically prohibited. These are identified below. Minimum size for almost all authorized species is 54 inches, with a bag limit of only 1 shark of any species per vessel per trip. The only limitation exception is for atlantic sharpnose and bonnethead sharks as described below.

Large Coastal Sharks

The following species are classified as Large Coastal Sharks. These commonly known sharks are present in the deeper waters just off the coast and may occaissionally approach land.

  • Blacktip Shark
  • Bull Shark
  • Great Hammerhead Shark
  • Scalloped Hammerhead Shark
  • Smooth Hammerhead Shark
  • Lemon Shark
  • Nurse Shark
  • Spinner Shark
  • Tiger Shark

Small Coastal Sharks

The following species are classified as Small Coastal Sharks. These are found in shallower ocean waters near the coast. These sharks generally are less than 5 feet long.

  • Atlantic Sharpnose Shark
  • Blacknose Shark
  • Bonnethead Shark
  • Finetooth Shark

Of these, the Atlantic Sharpnose and the Bonnethead, among all sharks, have no size limit and permit 1 per person per trip of each.


Pelagic Sharks

The following species are classified as Pelagic Sharks. These sharks spend most of their time well out in the ocean.

The accompanying photo shows a Mako Shark.

  • Blue Shark
  • Oceanic Whitetip Shark
  • Porbeagle Shark
  • Shortfin Mako Shark
  • Thresher Shark

Prohibited Species

Federal regulations also list certain species that are prohibited from fishing. Most of these will not be found in local waters. If any of these are caught they must be released without removal from the water. A special note provides that persons may fish for the White Shark but must release it like the others. This shark is present in Atlantic waters.

The accompanying photo is a casting of the World Record White Shark caught off Long Island, New York that hangs at Star Island Yacht Club in Montauk. The shark weighed 3,427 lbs and was caught Ausgust 6, 1986 by Captain Frank Mundus, the inspiration for the fisherman in the movie Jaws.

  • Atlantic Angel Shark
  • Basking Shark
  • Bigeye Thresher Shark
  • Bignose Shark
  • Caribbean Sharpnose Shark
  • Caribbean Reef Shark
  • Dusky Shark
  • Galapagos Shark
  • Longfin Mako Shark
  • Narrowtooth Shark
  • Night Shark
  • Sandbar Shark
  • Sandtiger Shark
  • Bigeye Sandtiger Shark
  • Sevengill Shark
  • Silky Shark
  • Sixgill Shark
  • Bigeye Sixgill Shark
  • Smalltail Shark
  • Whale Shark
  • White Shark