Galapagos Shark
Carcharhinus galapagensis
How to tell it
Stocky gray requiem shark with a tall first dorsal fin and an interdorsal ridge; offshore islands and seamounts, rarely inshore.
- Not a dusky shark? That one nearly identical; dusky is the coastal one. (Dusky Shark)
- Not a sandbar shark? That one taller, more forward dorsal. (Sandbar Shark)
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Harvest prohibited | Zero | Closed year-roundAL MRD 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Connecticut | Take prohibited | 0 | Closed year-roundCT DEEP 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Delaware | Harvest prohibited | 0 | No harvest permittedDE DNREC 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Florida (Atlantic) | No harvest | No harvest | Closed year-roundFWC 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Florida (Gulf) | No harvest | No harvest | Closed year-roundFWC 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Georgia | No harvest | No harvest | Closed year-roundGA DNR CRD 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Louisiana | No harvest | No harvest or possession | Closed year-roundLDWF 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Maine | Take prohibited | No harvest or possession | Closed year-roundME DMR 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Maryland | No take | 0 | ClosedMD DNR 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Massachusetts | N/A | No possession | Closed year-roundMA DMF 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Mississippi | No take | No take | Closed year-roundMS DMR 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| New HampshireFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species) | N/A | No harvest or possession | Closed year-roundNOAA HMS 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| New Jersey | Prohibited | 0 | No open seasonNJ DEP 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| New York | No possession | 0 | Closed all yearNY DEC 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| North Carolina | N/A | No harvest or possession | Closed year-roundNC DMF 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Rhode Island | N/A | No harvest or possession | Closed year-roundRI DEM 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| South Carolina | No harvest | Possession prohibited | Closed year-roundSC DNR 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Texas | No harvest | 0 | Closed year-roundTPWD 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Virginia | No harvest | 0 | ClosedVMRC 2026 · checked | Put it back |
On the table
Not a food fish here — harvest prohibited.
In the app
Point the camera at a galapagos shark and the name appears before you take the picture, with these rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed, and every catch goes in the log.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask about galapagos shark
Where is galapagos shark harvest prohibited?
Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida (Atlantic), Florida (Gulf), Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia. Release it there.
How do you tell galapagos shark from dusky shark?
Galapagos Shark has this: Stocky gray requiem shark with a tall first dorsal fin and an interdorsal ridge; offshore islands and seamounts, rarely inshore.. Dusky Shark nearly identical; dusky is the coastal one.