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Rules by state · Florida (Atlantic)

Dusky sharkin Florida (Atlantic)

Carcharhinus obscurus

Recreational rule, FWC 2026, checked Sep 20, 2026. The official rulebook is the final word.

Illustration of a Dusky Shark (Carcharhinus obscurus), side view, on a white background
Drawing: Duane Raver / USFWS

The rule in Florida (Atlantic)

Florida (Atlantic)’s own rule for dusky shark in state waters, out to 3 nautical miles.

SizeNo harvest
BagNo harvest
SeasonClosed year-round

FWC prohibited shark list; release without delay, gills submerged.

FWC 2026· checked Put it back

Often mistaken for, and their Florida (Atlantic) rules

Keep the wrong fish and the rule that applies is the other one’s.

FishSizeBagSeason
Dusky sharkThis page.No harvestNo harvestClosed year-round
Sandbar sharkMuch taller, forward-set first dorsal.Tell them apartNo harvestNo harvestClosed year-round

Florida (Atlantic) state record

764.25 lb, Longboat Key, 1982. FWC Saltwater Fishing Records (All-Tackle) · checked 2026-08-23

How to tell it

Low, sloping first dorsal set behind the pectorals; slender body; faint ridge between dorsals. More on the dusky shark page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.

Dusky shark in other states

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Point the camera at a dusky shark in Florida (Atlantic) and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.

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Dusky shark in Florida (Atlantic): the questions

Can you keep dusky shark in Florida (Atlantic)?

No. Harvest is prohibited in Florida (Atlantic). Release it in the water where you can. FWC prohibited shark list; release without delay, gills submerged.

What is the Florida (Atlantic) record dusky shark?

764.25 lb, Longboat Key (1982).

How current is this Florida (Atlantic) dusky shark rule?

Source: FWC 2026, last checked Sep 20, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.