SlotGaugeCheck a catchPelagic Sharks (blue, porbeagle, thresher) regulations in North Carolina
Sharks · Saltwater · 2026 season
Pelagic Sharks (blue, porbeagle, thresher) 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
- 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
- “Pelagic Sharks: Blue, Porbeagle, Thresher ... Non-Shortfin mako and NonOceanic whitetip-Pelagic Sharks, Blacknose and Finetooth 54””
Source: NC Division of Marine Fisheries, captured 2026-09-29 (2026 season).
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About the pelagic sharks
Species of shark
The pelagic thresher is a species of thresher shark, family Alopiidae; this group of sharks is characterized by the greatly elongated upper lobes of their caudal fins. The pelagic thresher occurs in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean, usually far from shore, although they do occasionally enter coastal habitats. Palagic thresher sharks are often confused with the common thresher, even in professional publications, but they can be taxonomically distinguished by the dark, rather than white, color over the bases of their pectoral fins. The smallest of the three thresher species, the pelagic thresher typically measures 3 m (9.8 ft) long.
Read more about Pelagic thresher on Wikipedia →
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 Pelagic Sharks (blue, porbeagle, thresher) in North Carolina?
54 inch minimum in North Carolina state waters.
How many Pelagic Sharks (blue, porbeagle, thresher) can you keep per day in North Carolina?
1 per vessel per calendar day (shore anglers 1 per person).
When is Pelagic Sharks (blue, porbeagle, thresher) season in North Carolina?
Open year-round.
Is my Pelagic Sharks (blue, porbeagle, thresher) a keeper today?
A pelagic sharks (blue, porbeagle, thresher) is a keeper today if it measures at least 54 inches, with 1 per vessel per calendar day (shore anglers 1 per person).