Large Coastal Sharks (blacktip, bull, lemon, nurse, spinner, tiger) regulations in North Carolina

Sharks · Saltwater · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? A large coastal sharks (blacktip, bull, lemon, nurse, spinner, tiger) is a keeper today if it measures at least 54 inches, with 1 per vessel per calendar day (shore anglers 1 per person).

Large Coastal Sharks (blacktip, bull, lemon, nurse, spinner, tiger) size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
NC coastal and joint waters (to 3 mi)	Open year-round	54 inch minimum	1 per vessel per calendar day (shore anglers 1 per person)

Notes

Only non-ridgeback large coastal sharks (plus tiger) may be kept; sandbar, dusky, silky and other ridgeback species are prohibited.
Boat anglers: 1 Atlantic sharpnose and 1 bonnethead per person per day, plus only ONE additional shark from the permitted list per vessel per day regardless of how many people are aboard. Shore anglers: 1 sharpnose, 1 bonnethead and 1 other permitted shark per person per day.
Sharks (except spiny dogfish) must be caught on rod and reel or handline using a non-stainless, non-offset circle hook when using natural bait.
Keep sharks whole: head, tail and fins must stay attached until offloaded at the dock (you may gut and bleed the carcass).
Federal HMS Angling permit required for sharks in state or federal waters (hmspermits.noaa.gov). No sharks may be possessed in WRC inland fishing waters.

Exact NC Division of Marine Fisheries wording

Season: Open year-round (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31)
Size: 54 inches fork length
Limit: 1 per vessel per calendar day (the one 'additional shark'), or 1 per person per day for shore anglers
NC coastal and joint waters (to 3 mi) — as printed: “Non-Hammerhead Large Coastal Sharks (LCS), Non-Shortfin mako and NonOceanic whitetip-Pelagic Sharks, Blacknose and Finetooth 54” ... It shall be unlawful to possess nonhammerhead Large Coastal Shark species ... less than 54 inches fork length.”

Source: NC Division of Marine Fisheries, captured 2026-09-29 (2026 season).

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More sharks

Atlantic Sharpnose Shark Bonnethead Shark Hammerhead Sharks (great, scalloped, smooth)Pelagic Sharks (blue, porbeagle, thresher)Blacknose Shark Finetooth Shark Smooth Dogfish Spiny Dogfish

About the large coastal sharks

Species of shark

The lemon shark is a species of requiem shark from the family Carcharhinidae, known for its yellowish skin, which inspires its common name.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from NC Division of Marine Fisheries, not Wikipedia.

All 120 North Carolina species A–Z →

Frequently asked

What is the size limit for Large Coastal Sharks (blacktip, bull, lemon, nurse, spinner, tiger) in North Carolina?

54 inch minimum in North Carolina state waters.

How many Large Coastal Sharks (blacktip, bull, lemon, nurse, spinner, tiger) can you keep per day in North Carolina?

1 per vessel per calendar day (shore anglers 1 per person).

When is Large Coastal Sharks (blacktip, bull, lemon, nurse, spinner, tiger) season in North Carolina?

Open year-round.

Is my Large Coastal Sharks (blacktip, bull, lemon, nurse, spinner, tiger) a keeper today?

A large coastal sharks (blacktip, bull, lemon, nurse, spinner, tiger) is a keeper today if it measures at least 54 inches, with 1 per vessel per calendar day (shore anglers 1 per person).