SlotGaugeCheck a catchSharks (recreationally prohibited) regulations in Virginia
Sharks · Saltwater · 2026 season
Sharks (recreationally prohibited) size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia marine waters (to 3 mi) | Closed to harvest | — | — |
Notes
- These 23 species may not be taken or possessed recreationally in Virginia. Most commonly encountered: sandbar, dusky, sand tiger, Atlantic angel, white, bigeye thresher and both makos.
- Shortfin and longfin mako were added to the prohibited list (regulation amended May 2025); the MRC web table footnote about mako sizes is outdated.
Exact Virginia Marine Resources Commission wording
- Season
- Possession prohibited
- Size
- Possession prohibited
- Limit
- Possession prohibited
- Virginia marine waters (to 3 mi) — as printed
- “"Recreationally prohibited shark" means any of the following species: Atlantic angel, Squatina dumeril; Basking, Cetorhinus maximus; Bigeye sand tiger, Odontaspis noronhai; Bigeye sixgill, Hexanchus nakamurai; Bigeye thresher, Alopias superciliosus; Bignose, Carcharhinus altimus; Caribbean reef, Carcharhinus perezii; Caribbean sharpnose, Rhizoprionodon porosus; Dusky, Carcharhinus obscurus; Galapagos, Carcharhinus galapagensis; Longfin mako, Isurus paucus; Narrowtooth, Carcharhinus brachyurus; Night, Carcharhinus signatus; Oceanic whitetip, Carcharhinus longimanus; Sand tiger, Carcharias taurus; Sandbar, Carcharhinus plumbeus; Sevengill, Heptranchias perlo; Shortfin mako, Isurus oxyrinchus; Silky, Carcharhinus falciformis; Sixgill, Hexanchus griseus; Smalltail, Carcharhinus porosus; Whale, Rhincodon typus; White, Carcharodon carcharias”
Source: Virginia Marine Resources Commission, captured 2026-09-21 (2026 season).
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About the sharks
Species of large lamniform shark
The great white shark, also known as the white shark, white pointer, or great white, is a large shark. It is closely related to the mako sharks, the porbeagle, and the salmon shark. It is a robustly built species with a grayish upperside and a white underside. The white shark is one of the largest living shark and fish species, though it is still smaller than the whale shark and basking shark. It has about 300 triangular, serrated teeth that are continuously replaced. Its massive, fatty liver can reach over a quarter of its body weight, providing buoyancy and storing energy. The species is partially warm-blooded, an adaptation that allows it to remain active in colder waters.
Read more about Great white shark 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 (recreationally prohibited) in Virginia?
No size limit in Virginia state waters.
How many Sharks (recreationally prohibited) can you keep per day in Virginia?
Possession prohibited.
When is Sharks (recreationally prohibited) season in Virginia?
Open year-round.
Is my Sharks (recreationally prohibited) a keeper today?
Sharks (recreationally prohibited) is closed to harvest. Release it.