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South Carolina

Fishing

Fishing

Sharks Size & Catch Limits

Sharks

Federal Highly Migratory Species Permit with a Shark Endorsement are required in federal waters to recreationally fish for, retain, possess, or land sharks. All sharks must be landed with fins, head and tail naturally attached. Recreational anglers may only catch sharks using a rod & reel or handline. All other gears prohibited. Additionally, angers fishing recreationally for sharks are required to use non-offset, non-stainless steel circle hooks, except when fishing with flies or artificial lures. Check current federal regulations and find a shark identification guide by visiting http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/h...

Species

Closed Season

Bag Limit

Size Limit

Restrictions

Dogfish (spiny & smooth)

No associated regulations.

Atlantic Sharpnose

1 per person per day

Bonnethead

1 per person per day

Blacknose, Blacktip, Blue, Bull, Finetooth, Lemon, Nurse, Porbeagle, Spinner, Thresher and Tiger Sharks

1 shark per vessel per day

54-inch FL

Great Hammerhead, Scalloped Hammerhead and Smooth Hammerhead Sharks

78-inch FL

Atlantic Angel, Basking, Bignose, Dusky, Galapagos, Shortfin Mako, Longfin Mako, Narrowtooth, Night, Oceanic Whitetip, Caribbean Reef, Sandbar, Sevengill, Caribbean Sharpnose, Silky, Bigeye Sixgill, Sixgill, Smalltail, Bigeye Thresher, Bigeye Sand Tiger, Sand Tiger, Whale and White Sharks

Possession prohibited

Possession prohibited

  • If caught, sharks from this group must be released immediately, without removing it from the water.