07/29/2026
🏴☠️🦈 Stella Maris Environmental Research
We ❤️ Y'all!!!
🦈 Shark Week – Day 3: Atlantic Sharpnose Shark! 🦈
One of the highlights of our fishing program was catching this beautiful Atlantic sharpnose shark off the power plant at South Hutchinson Island. After a quick lesson on identification and shark biology, we safely released it back into the Atlantic.
The Atlantic sharpnose is one of Florida’s most common coastal sharks, usually growing to just 2–4 feet long. They’re fast, agile predators that feed on small fish, shrimp, squid, and crabs, helping keep marine food webs in balance.
Did you know?
Unlike many larger shark species, female Atlantic sharpnose sharks can reproduce every year, giving birth to live pups after about an 11-month pregnancy. The tiny pups are born ready to hunt on their own!
These sharks are curious but not considered dangerous to people. If you’re fishing along Florida’s beaches or inlets, there’s a good chance one is swimming nearby, out of sight.
At Stella Maris, every catch is an opportunity to learn. Whether it’s identifying a species, understanding its role in the ecosystem, or practicing ethical catch-and-release, experiences like these help build the next generation of marine scientists and ocean stewards.
Have you ever caught an Atlantic sharpnose shark? We’d love to hear where!
