Blacktip Shark

Dark bluish gray color

Grows up to 8 ft. in length
Black tip on all fins except anal fin
Often found inshore in large schools
Most common shark found in Florida and Bahama beaches

Spinner Shark

Blacknose Shark

Olive-gray above to a white below

Maximum length of 5 ft.
Found in shallow water (bays, lagoons, etc.)
Noticeable dusky smudge on the tip of its snout

Nurse Shark

Sharpnose Shark

Scalloped Hammerhead Shark

Gray-bronze color with a white belly

Grows up to 6 ft. in length
Fast swimming shark that often leaps out of water and spins
Mistakened for blacktip shark, but its known for dark tip on anal
fin
Found in coastal waters

Sandbar Shark (Brown Shark)

Brown or gray color with a white belly

Matures at 6 ft., grows to be typically 8 ft. in length
Found near shore at depths between 60 ft. to 200 ft.
During the winter, it migrates to Florida in schools

Yellow-brown color
6-9 ft. in length, average 300 lbs. in weight
Feeds on the ocean floor
Hides under ledges and wrecks

Lemon Shark

Yellow-gray color
Grows up to 11 ft., but most do not exceed 9 ft., weighing over 200
lbs.
Commonly found in southern waters, around wrecks and ledges
Often ventures into freshwater areas

Olive-gray color with white belly, distinctive white spots on back

2-4 ft. in length
Inshore species common in bays and estuaries
Adults more commonly found offshore
Long, flattened snout, and slender body

Dark brown to light grey or olive color fading to white on the

underside
Commonly 6 ft., but can reach up to 20 ft.
Distinctive flat head with hammer-like lobes on each side
Confused with Hammerhead shark, but its noticeable by its curved
backside of its head, compared to the straight edge on the Great
Hammerhead

Bonnethead Shark (Shovelhead Shark)

Grey-brown above, lighter underside

Average size of 2-3 ft. long, max. of 5 ft.
Timid and harmless
Generally found in water greater than 70 degrees
Usually swims in groups of 5 to 15

Bull Shark

Hazards of Shark Observing

WARNINGS
LIVE SHARKS!

While at sea, do not forget that you

are working with LIVE sharks! If
you are not careful, personal injury
or death may result.

Gray on top and white below

Generally grow to 7.5 ft. and weigh up to 285 lbs.
Aggressive, common, and usually live near high-population areas
like tropical shorelines
Not bothered by brackish and freshwater

DANGEROUS
EQUIPMENT USED

Shark
Identification
Key

While observing the sharks, any kind

of dangerous equipment such as
knives should be used with caution.

Tiger Shark

HAZARDOUS
ENVIRONMENT
You are working in a hazardous
environment, due to inclement
weather and the variety of equipment
and gear used on the rolling deck.

Gray on top with dark vertical stripes, mainly on juveniles.

As these sharks mature, the lines begin to fade and almost disappear
10 - 14 ft. long, 850 - 1400 lbs.

CAUTIONS
AGGRESSIVE SHARKS
MAY DAMAGE BOAT
When a shark is circling the boat, do
not aggravate it or it may ram into
the boat, causing damage to the
vessel.

INCLEMENT WEATHER
MIGHT DAMAGE
ELECTRONICS
Make sure to properly protect any
electronics in a waterproof and
sealed package.

Created and Edited by Travis Ford