Threatened Species: Sharks

Candidate Species

Night Shark (Carcharhinus signatus)

NMFS designated the night shark as a candidate species in 1997. Data on this species are minimal because the shark is a deepwater shark. Most of the data available on this species is fishery related. 

Distribution and Abundance:

The shark has been reported in waters from Delaware south to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico. It has also been reported from West Africa. It was formerly very abundant in deep waters off the northern coast of Cuba and the Straits of Florida.

Characteristics:

This is a tropical shark that seldom strays into cooler water. The green eye indicates that it is a deep-water species, usually found at depths greater than 150-200 fathoms during the day and 100 fathoms at night. It feeds primarily on fishes and shrimp. The sharks' reproduction is viviparous, which means that they give live birth to their young. Litter size ranges form twelve to eighteen pups. Little else is know about the reproductive biology of the species.

Threats:

The main threat to the night shark has been mortality associated with fishing. The shark is caught mainly on longlines in about 100 fathoms, usually at night.