SlotGaugeCheck a catchSharks (large coastal group) regulations in Virginia
Sharks · Saltwater · 2026 season
Sharks (large coastal group) size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia marine waters (to 3 mi) | July 16 – May 14 | 54 inch minimum | 1 recreationally permitted shark per vessel per trip (a non-boat shore angler gets the vessel limit per day) |
Notes
- Closed May 15 through July 15 every year for blacktip, bull, great/scalloped/smooth hammerhead, lemon, nurse, spinner and tiger sharks.
- The 1-per-vessel limit covers ALL permitted sharks on the boat combined (except bonnethead, Atlantic sharpnose and smooth dogfish), no matter how many anglers are aboard.
- Hammerheads must be 78 inches fork length; all others in this group 54 inches fork length.
- Land sharks whole: head, tail and fins attached. Rod and reel or handline only; circle hooks required with bait.
- Federal waters beyond 3 miles follow NMFS HMS rules, which differ.
Exact Virginia Marine Resources Commission wording
- Season
- Closed May 15 - July 15
- Size
- 54 inches fork length; hammerheads 78 inches fork length
- Limit
- 1 per vessel per trip (shore angler: 1 per calendar day)
- Virginia marine waters (to 3 mi) — as printed
- “E. It shall be unlawful for any person to take, harvest, land, or possess any blacktip, bull, great hammerhead, lemon, nurse, scalloped hammerhead, smooth hammerhead, spinner or tiger shark from May 15 through July 15 of any calendar year. ... D. ... less than 54 inches in fork length ... 1. ... great hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, or smooth hammerhead shark that is less than 78 inches in fork length. ... A. Recreational fishing vessels are allowed a maximum possession limit of one recreationally permitted shark, excluding smooth dogfish, per trip, regardless of the number of people on board the vessel.”
Source: Virginia Marine Resources Commission, captured 2026-09-21 (2026 season).
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About the sharks
Largest known fish species
Fish vary greatly in size. The extant whale shark and basking shark exceed all other fish by a considerable margin in weight and length. The extinct Otodus megalodon exceeds all other fish, extant and extinct, in size. Fish in the common usage are a paraphyletic group that describes aquatic vertebrates while excluding the tetrapods, four limbed vertebrates nested within the lobe-finned fish, which include all land vertebrates and their nearest extinct relatives.
Read more about List of largest fish on Wikipedia →
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from Virginia Marine Resources Commission, not Wikipedia.
Frequently asked
What is the size limit for Sharks (large coastal group) in Virginia?
54 inch minimum in Virginia state waters.
How many Sharks (large coastal group) can you keep per day in Virginia?
1 recreationally permitted shark per vessel per trip (a non-boat shore angler gets the vessel limit per day).
When is Sharks (large coastal group) season in Virginia?
July 16 – May 14.
Is my Sharks (large coastal group) a keeper today?
A sharks (large coastal group) is a keeper today if it measures at least 54 inches, with 1 recreationally permitted shark per vessel per trip (a non-boat shore angler gets the vessel limit per day).