Galapagos SharkorSandbar Shark
Two fish anglers mix up. Here is what separates them, and what each one’s rules are in your state.
How to tell them apart
Galapagos Shark
Stocky gray requiem shark with a tall first dorsal fin and an interdorsal ridge; offshore islands and seamounts, rarely inshore.
Sandbar Shark
Very tall first dorsal starting over the pectorals; high back ridge; stocky gray-brown body.
Sandbar shark, next to galapagos shark: taller, more forward dorsal.
Side by side
| Galapagos Shark | Sandbar Shark | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Carcharhinus galapagensis | Carcharhinus plumbeus |
| Also called | — | — |
| Waters | Sharks | Sharks |
| Heaviest state record | — | 235 lb · Maryland (1983) |
| On the table | Not a food fish here — harvest prohibited. | Prohibited for recreational harvest — release. |
| Rules of its own in | 19 states | 19 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
Where either fish has a rule, the two are regulated the same. The name still goes in the log and on the tally.
| State | Galapagos Shark: size · bag · season | Sandbar Shark: size · bag · season |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Harvest prohibitedZeroClosed year-roundPut it backAL MRD 2026 · checked | Harvest prohibitedZeroClosed year-roundPut it backAL MRD 2026 · checked |
| Connecticut | Take prohibited0Closed year-roundPut it backCT DEEP 2026 · checked | Take prohibited0Closed year-roundPut it backCT DEEP 2026 · checked |
| Delaware | Harvest prohibited0No harvest permittedPut it backDE DNREC 2026 · checked | Harvest prohibited0No harvest permittedPut it backDE DNREC 2026 · checked |
| Florida (Atlantic) | No harvestNo harvestClosed year-roundPut it backFWC 2026 · checked | No harvestNo harvestClosed year-roundPut it backFWC 2026 · checked |
| Florida (Gulf) | No harvestNo harvestClosed year-roundPut it backFWC 2026 · checked | No harvestNo harvestClosed year-roundPut it backFWC 2026 · checked |
| Georgia | No harvestNo harvestClosed year-roundPut it backGA DNR CRD 2026 · checked | No harvestNo harvestClosed year-roundPut it backGA DNR CRD 2026 · checked |
| Louisiana | No harvestNo harvest or possessionClosed year-roundPut it backLDWF 2026 · checked | No harvestNo harvest or possessionClosed year-roundPut it backLDWF 2026 · checked |
| Maine | Take prohibitedNo harvest or possessionClosed year-roundPut it backME DMR 2026 · checked | Take prohibitedNo harvest or possessionClosed year-roundPut it backME DMR 2026 · checked |
| Maryland | No take0ClosedPut it backMD DNR 2026 · checked | No take0ClosedPut it backMD DNR 2026 · checked |
| Massachusetts | N/ANo possessionClosed year-roundPut it backMA DMF 2026 · checked | N/ANo possessionClosed year-roundPut it backMA DMF 2026 · checked |
| Mississippi | No takeNo takeClosed year-roundPut it backMS DMR 2026 · checked | No takeNo takeClosed year-roundPut it backMS DMR 2026 · checked |
| New Hampshire | N/ANo harvest or possessionClosed year-roundPut it backFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2026 · checked | N/ANo harvest or possessionClosed year-roundPut it backFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2026 · checked |
| New Jersey | Prohibited0No open seasonPut it backNJ DEP 2026 · checked | Prohibited0No open seasonPut it backNJ DEP 2026 · checked |
| New York | No possession0Closed all yearPut it backNY DEC 2026 · checked | No possession0Closed all yearPut it backNY DEC 2026 · checked |
| North Carolina | N/ANo harvest or possessionClosed year-roundPut it backNC DMF 2026 · checked | N/ANo harvest or possessionClosed year-roundPut it backNC DMF 2026 · checked |
| Rhode Island | N/ANo harvest or possessionClosed year-roundPut it backRI DEM 2026 · checked | N/ANo harvest or possessionClosed year-roundPut it backRI DEM 2026 · checked |
| South Carolina | No harvestPossession prohibitedClosed year-roundPut it backSC DNR 2026 · checked | No harvestPossession prohibitedClosed year-roundPut it backSC DNR 2026 · checked |
| Texas | No harvest0Closed year-roundPut it backTPWD 2026 · checked | No harvest0Closed year-roundPut it backTPWD 2026 · checked |
| Virginia | No harvest0ClosedPut it backVMRC 2026 · checked | No harvest0ClosedPut it backVMRC 2026 · checked |
In the app
Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, galapagos shark or sandbar shark, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell galapagos shark from sandbar shark?
Galapagos Shark: Stocky gray requiem shark with a tall first dorsal fin and an interdorsal ridge; offshore islands and seamounts, rarely inshore. Sandbar Shark: Very tall first dorsal starting over the pectorals; high back ridge; stocky gray-brown body. Sandbar shark, next to galapagos shark: taller, more forward dorsal.
Which is better to eat, galapagos shark or sandbar shark?
Galapagos Shark: Not a food fish here — harvest prohibited. Sandbar Shark: Prohibited for recreational harvest — release.
Do galapagos shark and sandbar shark have the same limits?
Yes, in every state that regulates either one. The table on this page lists each rule with its source and check date.