SlotGaugeCheck a catchSharks (1-per-vessel group) regulations in South Carolina
Sharks · Saltwater · 2026 season
Sharks (1-per-vessel group) size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| SC state waters (to 3 mi) | Open year-round | 54 inch minimum | 1 shark per vessel per trip (combined for all species in this group) |
| Federal waters (3–200 mi) | Open year-round | 54 inch minimum | 1 shark per vessel per trip (combined for all species in this group) |
Notes
- One shark total per boat per trip from this whole list (blacknose, blacktip, blue, bull, finetooth, lemon, nurse, porbeagle, spinner, thresher, tiger) — not one of each.
- Minimum 54 inches fork length (snout to center of tail fork, straight line).
- Rod & reel or handline only; non-offset, non-stainless circle hooks required with natural bait; land with fins, head and tail attached.
- Federal HMS Angling permit with shark endorsement required beyond 3 miles.
Exact South Carolina Department of Natural Resources wording
- Season
- Open year-round (no closed season printed)
- Size
- 54-inch FL
- Limit
- 1 shark per vessel per trip
- SC state waters (to 3 mi) — as printed
- “Blacknose, Blacktip, Blue, Bull, Finetooth, Lemon, Nurse, Porbeagle, Spinner, Thresher and Tiger Sharks | | 1 shark per vessel per trip | 54-inch FL |”
Source: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, captured 2026-10-01 (2026 season).
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About the sharks
Predatory cartilaginous fishes
Sharks are a group of elasmobranch cartilaginous fishes characterized by a ribless endoskeleton, dermal denticles, five to seven gill slits on each side, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the division Selachii and are the sister group to the Batomorphi. Some sources extend the term "shark" as an informal category including extinct members of Chondrichthyes with a shark-like morphology, such as hybodonts. Shark-like chondrichthyans such as Cladoselache and Doliodus first appeared in the Devonian Period, though some fossilized chondrichthyan-like scales are as old as the Late Ordovician. The earliest confirmed modern sharks (Selachii) are known from the Early Jurassic around 200 million years ago, with the oldest known member being Agaleus, though records of true sharks may extend back as far as the Permian.
Read more about Shark on Wikipedia →
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, not Wikipedia.
All 106 South Carolina species A–Z →
Frequently asked
What is the size limit for Sharks (1-per-vessel group) in South Carolina?
54 inch minimum in South Carolina state waters.
How many Sharks (1-per-vessel group) can you keep per day in South Carolina?
1 shark per vessel per trip (combined for all species in this group).
When is Sharks (1-per-vessel group) season in South Carolina?
Open year-round.
Is my Sharks (1-per-vessel group) a keeper today?
A sharks (1-per-vessel group) is a keeper today if it measures at least 54 inches, with 1 shark per vessel per trip (combined for all species in this group).