8/8/2019 Shark Identification
1/2
There is no Federal permit requirement, minimum size, or bag
limit for smoothhound or spiny dogfish
Ridgeback sharks are sharks with an interdorsal ridge (a visible
line of raised skin between dorsal fins)
Oceanic whitetip shark: young sharks have black mottling on
mostfins; does not always have interdorsal ridge; max. size 8 ft;
offshoreCannot be retained if tuna, swordfish, or billfish are
onboard
Scalloped hammerhead: max. size 11 ft;coastal and offshore
Great hammerhead: max. size 15 ft;coastal and offshore
Smooth hammerhead: max. size 12 ft;coastal and
offshore
Author ized Spec ies Minimum Size (fork
length) Bag Limit (per trip)
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
Smoothhound: second dorsal fin slightly smaller than first
dorsal finand much larger than anal fin; max. size 5 ft; coastal
and offshore
Prohibited ridgeback sharks:
bignose, Caribbean reef , dusky, Galapagos,
night,sandbar , and silky sharks
Tiger shark: snout length much shorter than mouth width;
markingsfade with age; max. size 15 feet; coastal and
offshore
Prohibited species are underlined in red
SHARK IDENTIFICATION FOR THE RECREATIONAL FISHERY OF THE U.S.
ATLANTIC AND GULF OF MEXICO
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/or illustrations
provided by NMFS, J. Castro, W.B. Driggers III, E.R. Hoffmayer, and
S. Iglésias.
fork length
Al l r idgeback sharks are prohibi ted , except for
oceanic whitetip, tiger , or smoothhound sharks
There is no minimum s ize for At lanti c sharpnose sharks
or bonnetheads
At lant ic sharpnose shark: max. size 3 ft; coastal and
offshore; similar species: smalltailsharks have very reduced labial
furrows and Caribbean sharpnose sharks lack white spots
Bonnethead: small, black spots onbody; max. size 4 ft; mostly
coastal
No indentation
Scalloped hammerheads, great hammerheads, and smooth
hammerheadscannot be retained if tuna, swordfish or billfish are
onboard
Labial furrow
keel tail
second dorsal fin
head length
first dorsalfin
second dorsal fin
caudalfin (tail)pectoral
finspelvicfin
anal fin
snoutlength
mouth width
fin origin
Revised July 2013
very pointed
pointed
blunt
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.
oval-shapedeyes
ridgewhite spots
spines on front of both dorsal fins
no anal fin
blunt snout
caudalkeel
white spots, usually
shovel-shapedhead
Indented IndentedPointed Pointed
pointed snout
mottled white colorationon tips of most fins
large, rounded firstdorsal fin
PointedPointed Not pointed Not pointed
Spiny dogfish: max. size 4 ft; coastal and offshore
ridge
tooth
If you don’t know, let it go
Anatomy of a Shark
8/8/2019 Shark Identification
2/2
Porbeagle: max. size 11 ft;mostly offshore
Blue shark: bright blue coloration;max. size 11 ft; mostly
offshore
Bull shark: max. size 9 ft; mostly
coastal, but can be offshore
Finetooth shark: max. size 5 ft;mostly coastal
Blacktip shark: max. size 6 ft;coastal and offshore
Spinner shark: max. size 8 ft;coastal and offshore
Sharpnose sevengill shark: (pictured) max. size 4 ft;offshore
deepwater; or sixgill shark (not pictured)
Sand tiger : All three species of sandtiger sharks are
prohibited
Nurse shark: max. size10 ft; mostly coastal
Use this key to identify non-ridgeback sharks
Atl ant ic angel shark: max.size 5 ft; offshore
deepwater
Whale shark: max. size45 ft; mostly offshore
Lemon shark: max. size 10 ft;mostly coastal
Shortfin mako: max. size 12 ft;mostly offshore
Blacknose shark: max. size 4 ft;coastal and offshore
If you don’t know, let it go All spec ies that may be
retained are shown on t his placard | Prohibited species are
underlined in red
Single
dorsal fin
Flattened body
YES
NO
NO
Orange/brown body; lowerlobe of tail poorly developed
NO
NO
Dark body with manywhite spots; lower lobeof tail
well-developed
YES
YES
First andseconddorsal finsnearlysame size
NO
YES YES
NO
Pointed snout; second dorsal finorigin well in front of anal fin
origin
YES
YES
Very longtail (upperlobe)
YESEyes extend to top of head; distinctgrooves from above eyes
to gill slits
YES Bigeye thresher shark: (not pictured)max. size 8 ft; mostly
offshore
NO
NO
Tail lobes(upper andlower) nearlysame size;very pointedsnout
YES
YES
Thresher shark: max. size9 ft; mostly offshore
First dorsal fin
origin behindpectoral fins
Head longer
than pectoral finNO
YES
Longfin mako shark: (not pictured) max.size 13 ft; offshore
NO
Two caudal keels on each side; first dorsal
fin origin above pectoral fins; white markingon rear edge of
first dorsal fin
Gill slits very long, extending from upper headto nearly middle
of throat; teeth very small
NO
YES Basking shark: (not pictured)max. size 35 ft; offshore
YES
YES
NO
White shark: max. size 20 ft;coastal and offshore
NO
YES YES
NO
Blunt snout shorterthan mouth width
YES
NO
Pointed snout
Black tips on
pectoral finsand tail
YES Black tips on
most finsexcept analfin; snoutlength sameor shorterthan
mouthwidth
YES
NO
Grey to blue body;teeth same in upperand lower jaw
NO
YES
NO
YES
NOAA Fisheries encourages the live release
of shortf in mako and porbeagle sharks .
Upper taillobeobviouslylongerthan lowerlobe
Blunt snoutwith mouth
at tip; firstdorsal finabove pelvicfins
YES
Black tip onanal fin (exceptyoung sharks);snout lengthsame or
longer
than mouthwidth; firstdorsal fin originbehind pectoralfin
Grey to yellow body;black markingusually on tip of
snout; teeth differentin upper & lower jaw;second dorsal
finmay have markings,but not other fins
YES
YES
Midpoint of firstdorsal fin closerto pelvic finsthan pectoral
fins
Blunt snout;second dorsalfin origindirectly aboveanal fin
origin
Single caudalkeel on eachside
