Atlantic Sharpnose Shark(Rhizoprionodon terraenovae)
Quick Facts
- Size Range: Up to 43 inches
- Native Species?: Yes
- Food Value: Can be eaten and sold commercially
The Atlantic sharpnose shark is considered a small species of shark. The first dorsal is located directly over or slight in front of the pectoral rear tips. The second dorsal fin originates above the middle of the anal fin. Several different shades of gray including olive, blue and brown are characteristic of the sharpnose’s dorsal area. Most adult specimens have white spots or splotches o their sides and white trailing edges of the pectoral fins. Young sharks have black on the dorsal and caudal fin edges.
This shark commonly inhabits both warm-temperate and tropical waters. This species shows regular inshore to offshore migrations. Atlantic sharpness sharks have been observed to form large sexually segregated schools during migrations. As winter approaches, the sharks move offshore into deeper water, returning inshore to mate in spring and give birth after a 10 to 11 month gestation period. They are found at depths to 920 feet but mostly remain in waters less than 32 feet deep. Along with being common residents of the surf zone, the Atlantic sharpness shark is also found in estuaries and harbors. Although this shark is able to tolerate lower salinity levels, they do not venture into freshwater.
Atlantic Sharpnose Shark Rules and Regulations
| Size Limit : | None |
| Bag and Possession Limit : | 1 daily per person in aggregate |
| Special Rules : | All shark harvest is prohibited from April 1 - June 30. |
CLOSED SEASON
All Louisiana state waters seaward to the gulfward boundary of the Louisiana Territorial Sea shall be closed to the recreational and commercial harvest and possession of all sharks between April 1 and June 30 of each year.
Small Coastal Sharks
- Atlantic sharpnose shark; bonnethead shark; blacknose shark; finetooth shark
Large Coastal Sharks
- Blacktip shark; nurse shark; smooth hammerhead; bull shark; sandbar shark*; spinner shark; great hammerhead; scalloped hammerhead; tiger shark; lemon shark; silky shark*
*NOTE: Recreational harvest of sandbar and silky sharks (ridgeback sharks) is not allowed.
Pelagic Sharks
- Blue shark; porbeagle shark; thresher shark; oceanic whitetip shark; shortfin mako NOTE: A person subject to a bag limit shall not possess at any time, regardless of the number of trips or the duration of a trip, any shark in excess of the bag limits. The practice of “finning,” that is, removing only the fins and returning the remainder of the shark to the sea, is prohibited within and without Louisiana waters. Notwithstanding other provisions of this part, a person may fish for, but not retain, white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) with rod and reel only under a catch and- release program, provided the person releases and returns such fish to the sea immediately with a minimum of injury.
Prohibited Sharks
- The following is a list of shark species that are prohibited:
- Atlantic angel shark, sand tiger shark, dusky shark, bigeye sand tiger shark, sixgill shark, largetooth sawfish, bigeye thresher shark, smalltooth sawfish, narrowtooth shark, Caribbean reef shark, white shark, Caribbean sharpnose shark, basking shark, sevengill shark, Galapagos shark, bigeye sixgill shark, smalltail shark, longfin mako, bignose shark, whale shark and night shark. No sandbar or silky sharks may be retained under a recreational bag limit.
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