Skip to main content

Atlantic sharpnose · Bonnethead · Blacktip

Inshore sharks

An Atlantic sharpnose shark laid on a white sheet beside a ruler, side view, gray back and pale belly
Apex Predators Program, NOAA/NEFSC · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Recognition

Atlantic sharpnose: small, streamlined, gray with a white underside and a long pointed snout. Bonnethead: shovel-shaped head, gray, tan or greenish above. Blacktip: black-tipped fins and a wedge-shaped band along the sides.

NOAA Fisheries · NOAA Fisheries · NOAA Fisheries

Waters

Bays, estuaries, harbors, the surf zone and nearshore coastal waters. The Atlantic sharpnose is the main user of South Carolina’s estuaries.

SC DNR · NOAA Fisheries

Months

Seasonal

Sharks usually arrive in South Carolina estuaries in spring and start moving offshore in fall as water temperatures drop.

SC DNR

Notes

South Carolina regulations list a group of sharks that cannot be possessed. Those caught must be released immediately without leaving the water.

SC regulations guide

South Carolina requires rod and reel or handline, and circle hooks in federal waters except with flies or artificial lures. NOAA states anglers need an HMS permit with a shark endorsement.

SC regulations guide · NOAA Fisheries

Size and bag limits