Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is committed to developing the highest standard of bycatch data, and to the conservation
of shark species in British Columbia waters. The information in this guide is designed to assist DFO to monitor bycatch, and
fish harvesters to correctly identify bycatch and to enter it in logbooks.
Pelagic sharks live in the upper layers of the open sea. Demersal sharks live on or near the sea bottom.
| A -
SALMON SHARK Lamna ditropis |
- Pelagic (surface to 375 m)
- Length to 3 m (10 feet)
- Short, heavy body; short snout
- Black or dark grey on the top; abrupt change to white blotches below
- Two horizontal keels just prior to tail fin
- Awl-like teeth with small sharp denticles on each shoulder of the main point.
|
| B - BLUE
SHARK Prionace glauca |
- Surface waters
- Length to 3 m (10 feet)
- Dark indigo blue on back shading through clear bright blue on sides to white below
- Notable for the long sabre-like pectoral fin
- Well developed snout; slender body form
|
| C -
PACIFIC SLEEPER SHARK Somniosus pacificus |
- Midwater and demersal (surface to 245 m)
- Length to 4.3 m (14 feet)
- Blackish brown all over or slate green with darker streak-like mottling
- Short caudal peduncle (narrow part of a fish’s body to which the caudal or tail fin is attached)
|
| D - SHORTFIN MAKO SHARK Isurus oxyrinchus |
- Pelagic (surface to 740 m)
- Length to 4 m (13 feet)
- Large black eyes, a sharp snout, large, narrow, hooked teeth with smooth edges
- Dark blue on top, white below; underside of snout and jaw is white
- Tiny second dorsal and anal fins
|
| E - COMMON THRESHER SHARK Alopias vulpinus |
- Pelagic (surface to 366 m)
- Length to 5.8 m (19 feet)
- Upper caudal fin more than half the length of the shark
- Brown colouration
- Eyes moderately large
|
| F - SIXGILL SHARK* Hexanchus griseus |
- Demersal (to 2307 m)
- Length to 4.8 m (16 feet)
- Dark brown or grey on top, nearly black in some specimens, somewhat paler below
- Six gill slits on each side, all long
- Two rows of teeth, moderate-sized in upper jaw, larger in lower jaw
|
| G - BASKING SHARK* Cetorhinus maximus |
- Surface waters
- Length to 10 m (33 feet)
- Greyish brown to slate grey to black; can fade to white below
- Very long gill slits, which almost encompass head
- Combs of horny gill rakers
- Small numerous teeth
- Strong horizontal keel just prior to tail fin
|
|
H - BROWN
CAT SHARK Apristurus brunneus |
- Pelagic and demersal (33-950 m)
- Length to 68 cm (2.2 feet)
- Light or medium brown
- Dark margins on fins
- First dorsal fin has posterior position over pelvic fin
- Two dorsal fins of equal size
|
| I - SPINY
DOGFISH Squalus acanthias |
- Pelagic and demersal (surface to 1460 m)
- Length to 1.6 m (5 feet)
- Slate grey to brown on top, white to light grey below
- Two dorsal fins with spine in front of each
- No anal fin
|
| J - TOPE (SOUPFIN) SHARK* Galeorhinus galeus |
- Pelagic and demersal (surface to 471 m)
- Length to 2 m (6.5 feet)
- Dusky grey on top, paler to white on sides
- Second dorsal fin directly above anal fin
- Black markings on juvenile fins
- Slender body, long-snout
- No keel on caudal peduncle
|
| K - SEVENGILL SHARK Notorynchus cepedianus |
- Demersal (135 m to 570 m)
- Length to 3 m (10 feet)
- Sandy grey to reddish brown, with scattered round black spots
- Seven gill slits on each side
- In upper jaw most teeth have one dominating cusp curved inward. Teeth in lower jaw have a series of cusps.
|
| L - BIGEYE THRESEHER SHARK Alopias superciliosus |
- Pelagic (surface to depths of 65 m, occasionally to 500 m)
- Length to 4.3 m (14 feet)
- Brownish on top, creamy white below
- Upper caudal fin nearly as long as rest of shark, notched or helmeted contour of head
- Huge eyes extending onto dorsal surface of head
|
| M - GREEN EYE SHARK Etmopterus villosus |
- Demersal (406 to 911 m)
- Length to 46 cm (1.5 feet)
- Dark brown or blackish body, underside is darker; black mark above pelvic fins
- Short tail; short fins; spine prior to each dorsal fin
- No anal fin
- Large green eyes
|
| N - GREAT WHITE SHARK Carcharodon carcharias |
- Pelagic (surface to depths of 1280 m)
- Length to 6 m (19 feet)
- Slate brown or grey to almost black on top, shading to dirty white below
- Crescent-shaped tail fin
- Triangular serrated teeth
|
If you are uncertain about an identification, please take a photo
and Fisheries and Oceans Canada will assist you.
