Lemon sharkin North Carolina
Negaprion brevirostris
The rule in North Carolina
Federal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species). North Carolina lists no rule of its own for lemon shark, so the council's rule applies in state waters too.
HMS Angling permit with shark endorsement required; non-offset circle hooks required with natural bait.
Counts toward an aggregate limit: Shark: 1 per vessel per trip aggregate.
Measured as fork length (FL): snout to the fork of the tail.
NOAA HMS 2026· checked Open
North Carolina state record
421 lb 8 oz, Kure Beach Pier, 1978. NCDMF State Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-22
How to tell it
Two nearly equal dorsals, yellow-brown cast. More on the lemon shark page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Lemon shark in other states
In the app
Point the camera at a lemon shark in North Carolina and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the appLemon shark in North Carolina: the questions
What is the size limit for lemon shark in North Carolina?
54" FL min. Measured as fork length: snout to the fork of the tail.
How many lemon shark can you keep in North Carolina?
1 shark per vessel per trip — all authorized sharks combined. It counts toward an aggregate: Shark: 1 per vessel per trip aggregate.
When is lemon shark season in North Carolina?
Year-round.
What is the North Carolina record lemon shark?
421 lb 8 oz, Kure Beach Pier (1978).
How current is this North Carolina lemon shark rule?
Source: NOAA HMS 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.