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Shark Identification

Shark Identification and Federal Regulations for the Recreational Fishery of the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.

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3K views

Shark Identification

Shark Identification and Federal Regulations for the Recreational Fishery of the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.

Uploaded by

UploadedbyHaroldGater
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Shark Identification

If you dont know, let it go

and Federal Regulations for the Recreational Fishery


of the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico
Prohibited species are underlined in red
Federal fishing permit required in Federal waters | Purchase at hmspermits.noaa.gov
Authorized Species
Minimum Size (fork length)
Bag Limit (per trip)
Smoothhound shark
None
None
Atlantic sharpnose shark
None
1 per person
Bonnethead
None
1 per person
Hammerheads (great, scalloped, and smooth)
78 inches
1 per vessel (hammerhead OR other shark)
Other sharks
54 inches
snout
length

blunt

Anatomy of a Shark
first dorsal
fin

fin origin

second dorsal fin

pointed

second dorsal fin

mouth width
very pointed
head length

tooth

pectoral
anal fin
pelvic
fins
fin
fork length

caudal
fin (tail)
tail

keel

All ridgeback sharks are prohibited, except for tiger, oceanic whitetip, or smoothhound sharks
Prohibited ridgeback sharks:
bignose, Caribbean reef,
dusky, Galapagos, night,
sandbar, and silky sharks

Ridgeback sharks are sharks with an interdorsal ridge


(a visible line of raised skin between dorsal fins)
large, rounded first
dorsal fin

mottled white coloration


on tips of most fins

caudal
keel

blunt snout

Tiger shark: snout length much shorter than mouth width; markings
fade with age; max. size 15 feet; coastal and offshore
predorsal ridge

ridge

Oceanic whitetip shark: young sharks have black mottling on most


fins; does not always have interdorsal ridge; max. size 8 ft; offshore
Cannot be retained if tuna, swordfish, or billfish are onboard

There is no Federal permit requirement,


minimum size, or bag limit for spiny dogfish
white spots

spines on front of both dorsal fins

oval-shaped eyes
Smoothhound: (a.k.a. smooth dogfish and Florida/Gulf smoothhound)
predorsal ridge present; second dorsal fin slightly smaller than first dorsal
fin and much larger than anal fin; max. size 5 ft; coastal and offshore

no anal fin
Spiny dogfish: max. size 4 ft; coastal and offshore

Scalloped hammerheads, great hammerheads, and smooth hammerheads


cannot be retained if tuna, swordfish, or billfish are onboard
Pointed

Indented

Pointed

Scalloped hammerhead: max. size 11 ft;


coastal and offshore

Not pointed

Indented

Not pointed

Great hammerhead: max. size 15 ft;


coastal and offshore

No indent

Pointed

Pointed

Smooth hammerhead: max. size 12 ft;


coastal and offshore

There is no minimum size for Atlantic sharpnose sharks or bonnetheads


pointed snout

white spots, usually

shovel-shaped
head

Labial furrow
Atlantic sharpnose shark: max. size 3 ft; coastal and offshore; similar species: smalltail
sharks have very reduced labial furrows and Caribbean sharpnose sharks lack white spots

Bonnethead: small, black spots on


body; max. size 4 ft; mostly coastal

All sharks within a species are not identical; however, these are common characteristics for the majority of individuals.
Young sharks can vary in appearance from adults. Maximum sizes are approximate.
Prepared by W.B. Driggers III, E.R. Hoffmayer, J.I. Castro, K.S. Davis, M. Clark, and P. Cooper. National Marine Fisheries Service. http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms.
Photographs and illustrations provided by NMFS, J. Castro, W.B. Driggers III, E.R. Hoffmayer, and S. Iglsias.

Revised January 2016

Use this key to identify non-ridgeback sharks


Single
dorsal fin

YES

NO
YES

Flattened body
NO

Blunt snout
with mouth
at tip; first
dorsal fin
above pelvic
fins

Sharpnose sevengill shark: (pictured) max. size 4 ft;


offshore deepwater; or sixgill shark (not pictured)

YES

Dark body with many


white spots; lower lobe
of tail well-developed

Atlantic angel shark: max.


size 5 ft; offshore deepwater

YES

Whale shark: max. size


45 ft; mostly offshore

NO

Orange/brown body; lower


lobe of tail poorly developed

YES

NO

First and
second
dorsal fins
nearly
same size

YES

Nurse shark: max. size


10 ft; mostly coastal

YES

Lemon shark: max. size 10 ft;


mostly coastal

NO

NO

Very long
tail (upper
lobe)

Blunt snout;
second dorsal
fin origin
directly above
anal fin origin

YES

Pointed snout; second dorsal fin


origin well in front of anal fin origin
YES

Eyes extend to top of head; distinct


grooves from above eyes to gill slits

Bigeye thresher shark: (not pictured)


max. size 8 ft; mostly offshore

YES

NO

Sand tiger: All three species of sand


tiger sharks are prohibited

NO

Gill slits very long, extending from upper head


to nearly middle of throat; teeth very small

Thresher shark: max. size


9 ft; mostly offshore
Tail lobes
(upper and
lower) nearly
same size;
very pointed
snout

YES

Single caudal
keel on each
side

YES

First dorsal fin


origin behind
pectoral fins
NO

NO

YES

Basking shark: (not pictured)


max. size 35 ft; offshore

NO

YES

Head longer
than pectoral fin

YES

NO

Longfin mako shark: (not pictured) max.


size 13 ft; offshore

Shortfin mako: max. size 12 ft;


mostly offshore

NOAA Fisheries encourages the live release


of shortfin mako and porbeagle sharks.

NO

White shark: max. size 20 ft;


coastal and offshore
Two caudal keels on each side; first dorsal
fin origin above pectoral fins; white marking
on rear edge of first dorsal fin
Upper tail
lobe
obviously
longer
than lower
lobe

YES

Midpoint of first
dorsal fin closer
to pelvic fins
than pectoral fins

YES

Porbeagle: max. size 11 ft;


mostly offshore

YES

Blue shark: bright blue coloration;


max. size 11 ft; mostly offshore

NO

Blunt snout shorter


than mouth width

YES

NO

Pointed snout

YES

Black tips on
pectoral fins
and tail

YES

NO
YES

Finetooth shark: max. size 5 ft;


mostly coastal

Grey to blue body;


teeth same in upper
and lower jaw

Black tips on
most fins
except anal
fin; snout
length same
or shorter
than mouth
width

Bull shark: max. size 9 ft; mostly


coastal, but can be offshore

YES

Blacktip shark: max. size 6 ft;


coastal and offshore

NO

NO

Black tip on
anal fin (except
Grey to yellow body; young sharks);
black marking
snout length
YES usually on tip of
same or longer
snout; teeth different than mouth
in upper & lower jaw; width; first
Blacknose shark: max. size 4 ft;
second dorsal fin
dorsal fin origin
coastal and offshore
may have markings, behind pectoral
but not other fins
fin

YES

If you dont know, let it go

All species that may be retained in Federal waters are shown on this placard | Prohibited species are underlined in red

Spinner shark: max. size 8 ft;


coastal and offshore

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