Shark in Ocean Water

Sharks

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Species Type
Shark

The Importance of Sharks

Sharks play a vital role in keeping our ocean healthy by regulating and maintaining the balance of intricate marine ecosystems.

Sharks have existed in New York's marine waters for millions of years. They are apex predators, which means they are at the top of the food chain and have few natural predators.

Sharks remove sick and weak individuals from prey populations, they influence prey distribution and behavior, and prevent other species from monopolizing limited resources and degrading the marine environment. The presence of sharks is a positive sign of a healthy marine ecosystem.

Watch a video of a shark (requiem species) feeding on a large school of Atlantic menhaden, off of Robert Moses State Park.

Sharks and Public Safety

New York's ocean beaches are part of a wild and natural marine ecosystem with a rich diversity of sea life. Humans assume risk whenever they enter any wild environment, whether on land or in the water. When in the ocean, part of this risk includes interacting with apex predators such as sharks.

Although it is impossible to eliminate risk altogether, people can modify their behavior to minimize potential interactions with sharks and reduce overall risk.

Minimize Risk of Shark Interactions:

  • Avoid areas with seals;
  • Avoid areas with schools of fish, splashing fish, or diving seabirds;
  • Avoid swimming at dusk, night, and dawn;
  • Avoid murky water;
  • Swim, paddle, and surf in groups;
  • Stay close to shore, where your feet can touch the bottom; and
  • Always follow the instructions of lifeguards and Parks' staff.

Report Incidents

The vast majority of unprovoked incidents are the result of test bites, which occur when a shark misidentifies a human as their preferred prey. Negative interactions between sharks and bathers in New York have been primarily attributed to exploratory bites from sharks to bathers who were swimming near large concentrations of forage fish, and where there was poor water clarity in the surf zone. There is no evidence which suggests that sharks in New York are intentionally pursuing or "attacking" humans. 

To further investigate the causes and species involved in New York shark interactions, DEC asks the public to report all incidents to the Florida Museum of Natural History (FMNH). The FMNH maintains the global record of negative shark interactions, and documents and investigates all bites on humans by sharks.

Printable Resources

Shark Spotter QR code

Shark Research

Shark Spotter

We invite you to submit your observations of sharks in the wild. The observations you submit help biologists record the presence of sharks in New York State waters and help to further the understanding of local shark ecology and behavior.

If you are boating or enjoying the beach and observe a shark, please take some pictures, then report your sighting using the DEC Shark Spotter Survey.

New York Shark Salvage Program

Dead sharks wash ashore occasionally. Shark mortalities can occur for various reasons, including fishery interactions, predation, parasitism, as well as other natural causes. DEC collects information on each reported dead shark, including the location, species, length, and sex of the animal. If possible, tissue samples will be collected, and a necropsy will be completed to identify potential causes of death.

These efforts help to gain a better understanding about how each animal may have died, which can inform fisheries management. Tissue samples are shared with several academic and scientific researchers in New York and across the country to facilitate multiple ongoing biological studies.

To report your sighting of dead sharks, use DEC's Marine Life Incident Report or call 631-444-0444.

New York Shark Research

DEC issues Licenses to Collect or Possess Marine Resources to academic and conservation institutions which allow researchers to capture sharks for scientific purposes. Visit these websites to learn more about ongoing shark research in New York waters:
Stony Brook University - Dr. Frisk
Stony Brook University - Dr. Shipley
Stony Brook University - Dr. Peterson
South Fork Natural History Museum
Wildlife Conservation Society
O'Seas Conservation Foundation
Atlantic Shark Institute

Shark Management and Conservation

NOAA Fisheries finalized a fishery management plan and began managing the U.S. shark fishery in federal waters in 1993. For information about the fisheries management of Atlantic Sharks in federal waters, visit NOAA Fisheries Atlantic Highly Migratory Species.

Coastwide management of sharks in state waters is regulated by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (ASMFC) Coastal Shark Management Board. ASMFC Approved the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Coastal Sharks in 2008. For more information about coastwide fisheries management of shark species in state waters, visit ASMFC's Coastal Sharks.

For details about the conservation status of New York shark species, review the Shark Conservation Status & Definitions (PDF).

For information about DEC’s shark regulations, visit the Recreational Shark Fishing page. 

New York Shark Species

Many species of sharks make seasonal migrations to New York's marine waters every year. The biological characteristics of these sharks can differ greatly. Each shark species has its food, habitat, and water temperature preferences. These differences impact when and where sharks are observed in New York waters.

For images of shark species, download and review the NOAA Fisheries Shark Identification Placard. 

(Carcharhinus limbatus)

SIZE: up to 8 feet

HABITAT: Coastal and offshore.

BIOLOGY:

  • Prey: Eat small schooling fishes, smaller sharks, squids, stingrays, shrimp, and crabs.
  • Reaches sexual maturity at 4-6 years.
    Placental viviparity where the shark gives birth to live young.
  • Gestation Period: 11-12 months
  • The Atlantic blacktip shark looks similar to the spinner shark. The distinguishing characteristic is the white anal fin on the Atlantic blacktip shark.
  • This species can sometimes be found in large aggregations.

(Cetorhinus maximus)

SIZE: up to 40 feet

HABITAT: Mostly offshore. Often found near the surface.

BIOLOGY:

  • Filter feeder: consumes zooplankton
  • Very slow swimmer
  • Reaches maturity at around 16 - 20 feet (12 - 16 years)
  • Lives 50 or more years
  • Gives live birth (ovoviviparous) to few pups
  • Gestation period: 3 years

(Prionace glauca)

SIZE: up to 12.5 feet

HABITAT: Mostly Offshore

BIOLOGY:

  • Generally a slow swimmer, but is capable of moving fast
  • Prey: squid and small fish
  • Reaches maturity at around 6 - 7 feet (4 - 7 years)
  • Lives up to 20 years
  • Gives birth to live young that are nourished by a placental yolk sac until they are fully developed (viviparous); litters average about 30 pups
  • Gestation period: 9 - 12 months

(Alopias vulpinus)

SIZE: up to 25 feet

HABITAT: Coastal and offshore

BIOLOGY:

  • Will herd schools of fish and use its large caudal fin (tail) to stun its prey
  • Strong swimmers. Sometimes observed leaping out of the water.
  • Prey: small schooling fish such as butterfish, bluefish, menhaden, mackerel, and sand lance
  • Reaches maturity at around 10 - 15 feet (8 - 12 years)
  • Lives 45 - 50 years
  • Gives live birth (ovoviviparous) to approximately 2 to 4 pups
  • Gestation period: 12 months

(Carcharhinus obscurus)

SIZE: up to 14 feet

HABITAT: Coastal and offshore

BIOLOGY:

  • Prey: bony and cartilaginous fishes, cephalopods, crustaceans.
  • Very slow growing and late maturing. Reaches maturity at around 9 feet (16 - 23 years)
  • Lives up to 45 years
  • Gives birth to live young that are nourished by a placental yolk sac until they are fully developed (viviparous); litters average about 3 - 14 pups
  • Gestation period: 22 - 24 months

(Carcharias taurus)

SIZE: up to 10.5 feet

HABITAT: Coastal and offshore. Uses Long Island estuaries such as Great South Bay, which provide nursery habitat for juveniles during summer months.

BIOLOGY:

  • Prey: bony and cartilaginous fishes, cephalopods, crustaceans.
  • Reaches maturity at around 6.5 feet (6 - 10 years)
  • Lives 15 or more years
  • Gives live birth (ovoviviparous) to 1 - 2 pups. During gestation, the most developed embryo in each uterus will eat the less developed embryos (adelphophagy).
  • Gestation period: 9 - 12 months

(Carcharhinus plumbeus)

OTHER NAMES: Brown shark

SIZE: up to 8 feet

HABITAT: Coastal and offshore

BIOLOGY:

  • Prey: small bottom fish and crustaceans such as flounders, goosefish, skates, rays, dogfish, and blue crabs.
  • Reaches maturity at around 5 feet (15 - 18 years)
  • Lives 20 - 30 years
  • Gives birth to live young that are nourished by a placental yolk sac until they are fully developed (viviparous); litters average about 8 pups
  • Gestation period: 12 months

(Isurus oxyrinchus)

SIZE: up to 13 feet

HABITAT: Mostly offshore

BIOLOGY:

  • Fastest shark in the world with burst swimming speeds of up to 43 mph.
  • Prey: feeds on fast moving pelagic fishes such as tuna, swordfish, billfish, other sharks, bluefish, and squid.
  • Reaches maturity at around 6.5 - 9.5 feet (8 - 18 years)
  • Lives about 20 years
  • Gives live birth (ovoviviparous) to 5 - 10 pups
  • Gestation period: 15 - 18 months

(Mustelus canis)

OTHER NAMES: Sand shark, Dusky smooth-hound

SIZE: up to 5 feet

HABITAT: Coastal

BIOLOGY:

  • Has rows of flat grinding teeth.
  • Prey: crustaceans, small fish, and mollusks.
  • Reaches maturity at around 2.25 - 4.25 feet (2 - 5 years)
  • Lives about 10 - 16 years
  • Gives birth to live young that are nourished by a placental yolk sac until they are fully developed (viviparous); litters average about 4 - 20 pups
  • Gestation period: 10 - 11 months

(Sphyrna zygaena)

SIZE: up to 16 feet

HABITAT: Coastal and offshore.

BIOLOGY:

  • One of four hammerhead species.
  • Prey: bony and cartilaginous fishes, cephalopods, crustaceans.
  • Reaches maturity at around 7 - 9 feet
  • Lives 20 or more years
  • Gives birth to live young that are nourished by a placental yolk sac until they are fully developed (viviparous); litters average about 20 - 40 pups
  • Gestation period: 10 - 11 months

(Carcharhinus brevipinna)

SIZE: up to 9 feet
HABITAT: Coastal and offshore.

BIOLOGY:

  • When feeding these sharks are known for breaching the surface and spinning in the air up to 20 feet above the surface.
  • Prey: Schools of small bait fish such as Atlantic menhaden.
  • Reaches maturity at around 4-5 feet (7-8 years)
  • Lives about 15-20 years
  • Gives birth to live young with their embryos nourished by a yolksac-placenta.
  • Gestation period: 11-15 months
  • The spinner shark looks similar to the Atlantic blacktip shark. The distinguishing characteristic is the black anal fin on the spinner shark.
  • This species can sometimes be found in large aggregations.

(Squalus acanthias)

SIZE: up to 4 feet

HABITAT: Coastal

BIOLOGY:

  • Swims in large schools.
  • Prey: small fishes such as herring, menhaden, sand lance, and mackerel, as well as squids and crustaceans.
  • Reaches maturity at around 2.25 - 4.25 feet (6 - 12 years)
  • Lives about 25 - 30 years
  • Gives live birth (ovoviviparous) to 6 - 7 pups.
  • Gestation period: 2 years

(Carcharodon carcharias)

SIZE: up to 18+ feet

HABITAT: Coastal and offshore. Juveniles utilize Long Island's coastal ocean as nursery habitat throughout the warm season.

BIOLOGY:

  • Strong swimmers and ambush predators.
  • Prey: juveniles eat bony and cartilaginous fishes; adults (≥ 10') feed on seals, other sharks and rays, and are also known to gorge on dead whales.
  • Reaches maturity at around 10 - 16 feet (26 - 33 years)
  • Lives up to 70 years
  • Gives live birth (ovoviviparous) to small litters of pups.
  • Gestation period: 12 - 18 months
Contact for this Page

Division of Marine Resources
123 Kings Park Blvd. (Nissequogue River State Park)
Kings Park, NY 11754

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