North Carolina’s marine environment is home to numerous shark species. The state’s unique coastal geography, influenced by the Gulf Stream and diverse habitats from shallow sounds to deep offshore waters, creates an inviting environment for these predators. Sharks are an integral component of this aquatic landscape, playing a significant role in maintaining the food web’s health and balance.
Sharks of North Carolina’s Nearshore Waters
North Carolina’s shallow, warmer nearshore waters, including estuaries and sounds, host several shark species. The Atlantic sharpnose shark, a smaller species typically reaching 4 feet, is common. These sharks are found in estuarine and oceanic waters, especially during summer and autumn, utilizing southern sounds like Core Sound as crucial nursery habitats.
Another prevalent species is the blacktip shark, which can grow up to 8 feet. Blacktips inhabit ocean waters from late spring to fall, moving into sounds during summer and autumn. They are known for rapid pursuit of prey like menhaden and mullet, sometimes performing spinning leaps while feeding. The sand tiger shark, reaching up to 12 feet, is found year-round, often congregating around underwater structures such as wrecks. Despite their formidable appearance, these sharks are generally docile and popular with divers.
Bonnethead sharks, the smallest hammerhead family members, typically grow to 5 feet. Common from Core Sound southward and near ocean beaches, they primarily feed on crustaceans like blue crabs, which they detect by sweeping their rounded heads across the seafloor. Bull sharks, powerful apex predators reaching 10.5 feet, tolerate brackish and fresh water, inhabiting coastal rivers like the Newport, Neuse, and Pamlico. Pamlico Sound has increasingly become a nursery for juvenile bull sharks, likely influenced by warming water temperatures.
Spinner sharks, averaging 6.5 feet but reaching nearly 10 feet, are fast-swimming sharks found in inshore and offshore waters; juveniles prefer higher salinity bays. They are migratory along the Atlantic coast and known for acrobatic spinning leaps when pursuing schooling fish. Sandbar sharks, also common in nearshore areas, grow to 8 feet and are frequently seen in late summer and fall, often at depths between 60 to 200 feet.
Sharks of North Carolina’s Offshore Waters
North Carolina’s offshore waters, along the continental shelf and influenced by the Gulf Stream, host larger, pelagic shark species. Tiger sharks, among the largest coastal sharks, grow up to 18 feet and are often found in deeper waters, occasionally venturing into inlets like Beaufort. These opportunistic feeders consume diverse prey, including large fish, dolphins, and sea turtles.
The great white shark, the ocean’s largest predatory fish, can reach 21 feet. While generally staying offshore, they frequent North Carolina waters, especially during winter and early spring as part of their annual migration to northern feeding areas. Hammerhead sharks, recognized by their distinctive head shape, are also present offshore. The scalloped hammerhead is the most commonly encountered large hammerhead species in these waters.
The great hammerhead, the largest of its kind, grows to 20 feet and inhabits tropical and warm temperate offshore waters, including coral reefs and continental shelves, often undertaking long migrations. The Carolina hammerhead, a recently identified species genetically distinct from the scalloped hammerhead, has pupping grounds in nearshore waters off the southeastern U.S. and gives birth in estuaries. Other offshore species include the dusky shark, reaching 12 feet, with juveniles off Cape Hatteras in winter and adults offshore year-round. Thresher sharks, characterized by their long tails, are typically open-ocean inhabitants but can come closer to shore in North Carolina during winter and early spring.
Understanding Shark Presence and Behavior
Shark presence and movements in North Carolina’s waters are linked to various ecological factors. Seasonal migrations are important, as many species follow prey availability and favorable water temperatures. Some species move northward during warmer months and return south as waters cool. The Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current, also influences shark distribution by creating thermal gradients and carrying nutrient-rich waters that attract prey.
Breeding cycles are another factor, with many species utilizing North Carolina’s sounds and estuaries as nursery habitats. These shallow, protected areas provide abundant food and refuge for juvenile sharks. The increasing use of certain sounds as nurseries, such as Pamlico Sound for bull sharks, can be influenced by environmental changes like rising water temperatures.
Geographic features like inlets, shoals, and underwater wrecks further shape shark behavior, providing feeding grounds, shelter, or aggregation points. While sharks are a consistent presence, interactions with humans remain rare. Most shark species are not inherently aggressive; their behaviors are primarily driven by natural cycles of feeding, reproduction, and migration.