Recreational bag limits information for Atlantic Sharks.
Minimum sizes and bag limits vary by permit and vessel type. Additional requirements may be applicable. View the HMS Recreational Compliance Guide for details.
|
Species |
Fishery Status |
Minimum Size (fork length) |
Bag Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Atlantic sharpnose shark |
Open |
None |
1/person/trip |
|
Bonnethead shark |
Open |
None |
1/person/trip |
|
Smoothhound shark |
Open |
None |
No limit |
|
Hammerhead*, blacktip, bull, lemon, nurse, spinner, tiger, blacknose, finetooth, blue, oceanic whitetip*, porbeagle**, and thresher sharks |
Open |
|
1 total /vessel/trip |
*Hammerhead and oceanic whitetip sharks cannot be retained if a swordfish, tuna, or billfish is on board.
**Porbeagle sharks alive at haulback must be released unharmed if a swordfish, tuna, or billfish is on board.
Vessels must have a valid HMS Angling or HMS Charterboat/Headboat permit to fish for Atlantic sharks. The permit covers everyone fishing on that vessel. Tournament vessels may instead fish for sharks with an Atlantic Tunas General category or Swordfish General Commercial permit. All HMS permit holders must have a shark endorsement on their permit before they can fish recreationally for sharks.
Measure fork length in a straight line from the snout to the fork of the tail.
The following are prohibited species and must be released with minimal injury and without removing it from the water:
An oceanic whitetip shark swims near the surface of the water. Photo courtesy of John Carlson.
Blacktip sharks. Credit: iStock.
Releasing a sandbar shark on a shark survey.
