Florida adds Oceanic Whitetip shark to protected species list

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida officials have added oceanic whitetip sharks to the list of shark species prohibited from being harvested or harmed in state waters.

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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced the decision on Tuesday, aligning the state’s regulations with federal protections for the migratory species.

Oceanic whitetip sharks, easily identified by their distinctive mottled white markings on the tips of their dorsal, pectoral, and tail fins, were placed under federal protection earlier this year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries banned both commercial and recreational harvest of the species in U.S. waters of the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean, according to a memo sent to the commission by Jessica McCawley, Florida’s director of Marine Fisheries Management.

The move follows NOAA’s earlier ban on the commercial and recreational harvest of this migratory species. These sharks are among more than two dozen shark species protected by state law, part of a broader conservation effort to ensure their survival amidst declining populations due to overfishing and habitat loss

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