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Dusky sharkin Louisiana

Put it back

Carcharhinus obscurus.

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

Louisiana state waters, out to 3 miles

SizeNo harvest

BagNo harvest or possession

SeasonClosed year-round

On Louisiana's prohibited shark list.

LDWF 2026 · checked 2026-09-07 · the official rulebook is the final word

Often mistaken for

Studio photograph of a Sandbar Shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus), side view, on a white background

Sandbar sharkMuch taller, forward-set first dorsal. Tell them apart

SizeNo harvest

BagNo harvest or possession

SeasonClosed year-round

Keep the wrong fish and its rule applies.

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 states19 rulebooks
Alabama Connecticut Delaware Florida (Atlantic)Florida (Gulf)Georgia Maine Maryland Massachusetts Mississippi New Hampshire New Jersey New York North Carolina Rhode Island South Carolina Texas Virginia Every state
Questions anglers ask2
Can you keep dusky shark in Louisiana?
No. Harvest is prohibited in Louisiana. Release it in the water where you can. On Louisiana's prohibited shark list.
How current is this Louisiana dusky shark rule?
Source: LDWF 2026, last checked Sep 7, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.