Sharks of British Columbia

Release date: 2011

Description: Sharks of British Columbia

Sharks of British Columbia

Fisheries and Oceans Canada 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 the Department to monitor bycatch, and fish harvesters to correctly identify bycatch and to enter it in logbooks.

Salmon shark — Common
Blue shark — Common
Pacific sleeper shark — Common
Shortfin mako shark — Rare
Common thresher shark — Rare
Sixgill shark — Common
Basking shark — Rare
Brown cat shark — Common
Spiny dogfish — Common
Tope (Soupfin) shark — Common
Sevengill shark — Rare
Pacific angel shark — Rare
Lantern shark — Unconfirmed
Great white shark — Rare

Pelagic sharks live in the upper layers of the open sea. Demersal sharks live on or near the sea bottom. Silhouettes show relative sizes.

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.
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
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)
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
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
Sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus)
- Demersal (to 2,307 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
- Listed as Special Concern under the Species at Risk Act
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
- Listed as Endangered under the Species at Risk Act
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
Spiny dogfish (Squalus suckleyi)
- Pelagic and demersal (surface to 1,460 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
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
- Listed as Special Concern under the Species at Risk Act
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.
Pacific angel shark (Squatina californica)
- Demersal (3 to 183 m)
- Length to 1.5 m (5 feet)
- Distinctive appearance, flattened body, large pectoral fins
- Gray to brown with scattered dark spots, white below
- Large terminal mouth with barbels on anterior margin
Lantern shark (Etmopeteridae)
- Species yet to be confirmed – retain specimens
- Demersal (400 to over 1,000 m)
- Small size, less than 1 m (3 feet)
- Dark brown to black
- Fifth gill slit smaller than other four
- No anal fin
- Two even-sized dorsal fins, or first smaller than second
- Two distinct dorsal fin spines
Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias)
- Pelagic (surface to depths of 1,280 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.

For more information contact Dr. Jackie King, Jackie.King@dfo-mpo.gc.ca, or visit Pacific marine mammals and sharks.

Published by Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0E6
Également disponible en français.

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Sharks of British Columbia

Sharks of British Columbia