Sharks (blacknose & finetooth) regulations in Virginia

Sharks · Saltwater · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? Sharks (blacknose & finetooth) has no size limit today, with 1 per vessel per trip (shares the single-shark vessel limit with the large coastal and pelagic groups).

Sharks (blacknose & finetooth) size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
Virginia marine waters (to 3 mi)	Open year-round	No minimum size	1 per vessel per trip (shares the single-shark vessel limit with the large coastal and pelagic groups)

Notes

Blacknose and finetooth have no minimum size, but a boat may keep only ONE permitted shark total (other than sharpnose, bonnethead and smooth dogfish).
Not subject to the May 15 - July 15 large coastal closure.

Exact Virginia Marine Resources Commission wording

Season: Open year-round
Size: None
Limit: 1 per vessel per trip (counts as the vessel's one permitted shark)
Virginia marine waters (to 3 mi) — as printed: “2. Atlantic sharpnose, bonnethead, finetooth, blacknose, and smooth dogfish sharks are exempt from the recreational size limit described in this subsection. ... A. Recreational fishing vessels are allowed a maximum possession limit of one recreationally permitted shark, excluding smooth dogfish, per trip”

Source: Virginia Marine Resources Commission, captured 2026-09-21 (2026 season).

Check your sharks (blacknose & finetooth) in seconds

Say it, snap a photo, or type the length. SlotGauge answers KEEP or RELEASE using today's Virginia rules.

Open SlotGauge for Sharks (blacknose & finetooth)

More sharks

Sharks (large coastal group)Atlantic Sharpnose Shark Bonnethead Shark Sharks (pelagic: blue, porbeagle, thresher)Dogfish (smooth & spiny)Sharks (recreationally prohibited)

About the sharks

Species of shark

The finetooth shark is a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae, found in the western Atlantic Ocean, from North Carolina to Brazil. It forms large schools in shallow, coastal waters, and migrates seasonally following warm water. A relatively small, slender-bodied shark, the finetooth shark can be identified by its needle-like teeth, dark blue-gray dorsal coloration, and long gill slits. It attains a maximum length of 1.9 m (6.2 ft). The diet of this species consists primarily of small bony fishes, in particular menhaden. Like other members of its family, it is viviparous with females giving birth to two to six pups in estuarine nursery areas every other year.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from Virginia Marine Resources Commission, not Wikipedia.

All 75 Virginia species A–Z →

Frequently asked

What is the size limit for Sharks (blacknose & finetooth) in Virginia?

No minimum size in Virginia state waters.

How many Sharks (blacknose & finetooth) can you keep per day in Virginia?

1 per vessel per trip (shares the single-shark vessel limit with the large coastal and pelagic groups).

When is Sharks (blacknose & finetooth) season in Virginia?

Open year-round.

Is my Sharks (blacknose & finetooth) a keeper today?

Sharks (blacknose & finetooth) has no size limit today, with 1 per vessel per trip (shares the single-shark vessel limit with the large coastal and pelagic groups).