It’s Shark Week once again and sharks are swimming in nearly every facet of our daily lives this week it seems. It also is amplified due to the fact that we are in the prime area for these predators to thrive. After seeing movies like Jaws or Sharknado you might want to fight back and be brave go shark fishing. Make sure you know what type of shark is not permitted to be fished. We are here to help!
Here are the regulations according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Hook and line are the only permissible fishing gear for fishing sharks and the use of natural bait when using multiple hooks is not allowed. The minimum fork length of 54 inches is fore most sharks except the following, Atlantic sharpnose, blacknose, blacktip, bonnethead, finetooth and smooth dogfish. You are permitted a maximum of one shark per person a day. The FWC was very clear about only one per day per person. Sharks are to be landed in whole condition, including landing with heads and tails intact.
These Species are prohibited from Shark Fishing
Atlantic angel (Squatina dumeril)
Basking (Cetorhinus maximus)
Bigeye sand tiger (Odontaspis noronhai)
Bigeye sixgill (Hexanchus nakamurai)
Bigeye thresher (Alopias vulpinus)
Bignose (Carcharhinus altimus)
Caribbean reef (Carcharhinus perezii)
Dusky (Carcharhinus obscurus)
Galapagos (Carcharhinus galapagensis)
Great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran)
Lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris)
Longfin mako (Isurus paucus)
Narrowtooth (Carcharhinus brachyurus)
Night (Carcharhinus signatus)
Sandbar (Carcharhinus plumbeus)
Sand tiger (Odontaspis taurus)
Scalloped hammerhead (Sphryna lewini)
Sevengill (Heptranchias perlo)
Silky (Carcharhinus falciformis)
Sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus)
Smalltail (Carcharhinus porosus)
Smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena)
Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
Whale (Rhincodon typus)
White (Carcharodon carcharias)
When you’re going after your own adventure for to find Jaws remember that you are only allowed to harvest one shark per day and to be sure to avoid one of the species mentioned above. Be sure to check all local and federal laws if traveling! Remember to live life and leave the legal stuff to us!