SlotGaugeCheck a catchSharks (pelagic: blue, porbeagle, thresher) regulations in Virginia
Sharks · Saltwater · 2026 season
Sharks (pelagic: blue, porbeagle, thresher) size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia marine waters (to 3 mi) | Open year-round | 54 inch minimum | 1 per vessel per trip (shares the single-shark vessel limit) |
Notes
- Blue, porbeagle and common thresher are recreationally permitted year-round at 54 inches fork length, 1 per vessel.
- Bigeye thresher, shortfin mako and longfin mako are PROHIBITED - do not confuse them with common thresher.
- Federal waters beyond 3 miles follow NMFS HMS rules.
Exact Virginia Marine Resources Commission wording
- Season
- Open year-round
- Size
- 54 inches fork length
- Limit
- 1 per vessel per trip
- Virginia marine waters (to 3 mi) — as printed
- “"Recreationally permitted shark" means any of the following species: ... Blue, Prionace glauca ... Porbeagle, Lamna nasus ... Thresher, Alopias vulpinus”
Source: Virginia Marine Resources Commission, captured 2026-09-21 (2026 season).
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About the 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 Virginia Marine Resources Commission, not Wikipedia.
Frequently asked
What is the size limit for Sharks (pelagic: blue, porbeagle, thresher) in Virginia?
54 inch minimum in Virginia state waters.
How many Sharks (pelagic: blue, porbeagle, thresher) can you keep per day in Virginia?
1 per vessel per trip (shares the single-shark vessel limit).
When is Sharks (pelagic: blue, porbeagle, thresher) season in Virginia?
Open year-round.
Is my Sharks (pelagic: blue, porbeagle, thresher) a keeper today?
A sharks (pelagic: blue, porbeagle, thresher) is a keeper today if it measures at least 54 inches, with 1 per vessel per trip (shares the single-shark vessel limit).