Sandbar sharks are one of the most common shark species in the Gulf of Mexico, often encountered by fishermen offshore, according to marine experts.
Dr. Sean Powers, director of the University of South Alabama School of Marine and Environmental Sciences and senior marine scientist at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, says sandbar sharks are so common that fishermen have a nickname for them.
“Most of the fishermen will intercept this offshore fishing for snapper and fishermen. They call it pay the tax man when they get a bite and a shark bites their fish in half. It’s usually a sandbar shark that’s going to do that,” Powers said.
Size and Diet
Sandbar sharks grow to about 10 feet and weigh about 200 pounds. They are opportunistic feeders that will eat fish and other prey.
Population Recovery
The sandbar shark population has increased dramatically in recent years because they have been protected as part of the ridgeback shark family. All ridgeback sharks except tiger sharks are protected, and the sandbar population has rebounded significantly.
“Sandbar has been protected for years, and now its population has increased dramatically. Hence, why fishermen interact with them so much,” Powers said.
Beach Safety
While sandbar sharks are not considered highly dangerous to swimmers, they could potentially be a threat to divers and swimmers on the surface.
“There’s not many recorded attacks by sandbars, but they definitely could be. If you decide to jump in the water, you should be careful just because you might see a sandbar,” Powers said.
Sandbar sharks get their name from where they were first described in Chesapeake Bay, where they were found along sandbars in shallow areas. In the Gulf of Mexico, they are mainly found in deep water.