Species profile
Oceanic Whitetip Shark
Carcharhinus longimanus
At a glance
Oceanic Whitetip Shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) is an IUCN Endangered invertebrate regulated in 6 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
Confirmed by 5 research-grade iNaturalist observations across the species' range.
Listed under MSA and the U.S. Endangered Species Act and CITES — verify protected-species rules with the issuing agency before retaining or handling.
Notable details
- Oceanic whitetips are critically endangered on the IUCN Red List, largely driven by the shark fin trade.
- Their large, rounded, white-tipped fins make them one of the most recognizable open-ocean sharks.
- They're true pelagic sharks, rarely found in water shallower than about 600 feet (180 meters).
- They can reach up to 13 feet (4 meters) in length, though most adults measure 6–8 feet.
- They're well known for bold, persistent investigative behavior around vessels and divers.
Where Oceanic Whitetip Shark are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Oceanic Whitetip Shark
Protected status
- Atlantic HMS prohibited (oceanic whitetip, effective Feb 2024) — must release unharmed.
- Oceanic whitetip shark — rangewide.
- CITES Appendix II (Carcharhinidae — all requiem sharks, CoP19 effective Nov 2023).
Always verify protected-species rules with the issuing agency before retaining or handling.
Background
The oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus), also known as Brown Milbert's sand bar shark, brown shark, nigano shark, oceanic white-tipped whaler, and silvertip shark, is a large pelagic requiem shark inhabiting tropical and warm temperate seas. Its stocky body is most notable for its long, white-tipped, rounded fins.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Oceanic Whitetip Shark article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other invertebrates on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.