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Great Hammerhead Shark regulations in Delaware

Sharks (Hammerhead) · Saltwater · 2026 season

Great Hammerhead Shark size limit, season and daily limit

Notes

• Closed May 15 - July 15.
• Fork length (snout to fork of tail).
• Atlantic HMS Angling Permit required for private vessels in federal waters; non-retained HMS must be released without removing from the water. hmspermits.noaa.gov / (888) 872-8862.

Exact DNREC wording

Season

January 1 to May 14July 16 to December 31All Atlantic Highly Migratory Species permit holders must abide by the non-offset, corrodible circle hook requirement when targeting sharks in Federal waters of the Atlantic Ocean (3 to 200 miles off shore).All Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (Atlantic tunas, sharks, swordfish and billfish) not retained must be immediately released to ensure the maximum probability of survival, without removing the fish from the water.*Special permit required - All private vessel owners/operators recreationally fishing for and/or retaining regulated Atlantic Highly Migratory Shark Species for personal use in Federal waters of the Atlantic Ocean (3 to 200 miles off shore) must obtain an Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling Permit. Consult https://hmspermits.noaa.gov or call toll free (888) 872-8862 for specific information and permits.

Size

78 inch minimum (measured from the tip of the snout to the fork of the tail)

Limit

Boat anglers - only 1 shark of any species per vessel, except 1 additional Bonnethead and 1 additional Atlantic Sharpnose per angler onboard vessels. Shore anglers - only 1 shark of any species per angler, except 1 additional Bonnethead and one additional Atlantic Sharpnose per shore angler.

Source: DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife, captured 2026-09-20 (2026 season).

More sharks (hammerhead)

About the great hammerhead shark

Species of shark

The great hammerhead is the largest species of hammerhead shark, belonging to the family Sphyrnidae, attaining an average length of 4.6 m (15 ft) and reaching a maximum length of 6.2 m (20 ft). It is found around the globe in all the warmer parts of the oceans. The great hammerhead can be distinguished from other hammerheads by the shape of its "hammer", which is wide with an almost straight front margin, its tall, sickle-shaped first dorsal fin, and its strongly falcated pelvic fins. A solitary, strong-swimming apex predator, the great hammerhead feeds on a wide variety of prey ranging from crustaceans and cephalopods, to bony fish, to smaller sharks. Observations of this species in the wild suggest that the cephalofoil functions to immobilize stingrays, a favored prey. This species has a viviparous mode of reproduction, bearing litters of up to 2-49 pups every two years.

Read more about Great hammerhead on Wikipedia →

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife, not Wikipedia.

All 196 Delaware species A–Z →

Frequently asked

What is the size limit for Great Hammerhead Shark in Delaware?

78 inch minimum in Delaware state waters.

How many Great Hammerhead Shark can you keep per day in Delaware?

Boat: 1 shark of any species per vessel (+1 Bonnethead and +1 Atlantic Sharpnose per angler). Shore: 1 shark per angler (+1 Bonnethead, +1 Sharpnose)..

When is Great Hammerhead Shark season in Delaware?

January 1 – May 14, July 16 – December 31.

Is my Great Hammerhead Shark a keeper today?

A great hammerhead shark is a keeper today if it measures at least 78 inches, with a daily limit of 1.