The waters of Maryland have more than 20 shark species. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources enlists a few shark species present in abundance on the shoreline from summer to early fall, including the sandbar shark, dusky shark, scalloped hammerhead, dusky, tiger shark, smooth dogfish, and Atlantic sharpnose.
Maryland doesn’t rank too high when it comes to shark attacks. In a 2021 incident in Ocean City, a 12-year-old girl from Pennsylvania was bitten in her leg by a shark. She was given 42 stitches, and according to wildlife officials, the species responsible for the bite was probably a sandbar shark.
List of the Different Types of Sharks in Maryland
| Species | Maximum Size | Aggressiveness |
| Spiny Dogfish | 2.5-3.5 feet | Not aggressive (due to their small size) |
Sandbar Shark |
5.5-8.5 feet | Not aggressive |
Bull Shark |
7-12 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Sand Tiger Shark | 7-10 feet | Not aggressive (due to their small mouths) |
| Smooth Dogfish | 4-5 feet | Not aggressive (due to their blunt teeth) |
| Blacktip Shark | 5-8 feet | Moderately aggressive |
Atlantic Sharpnose Shark |
2-4 feet | Moderately aggressive |
Spinner Shark |
7 -8 feet | Not aggressive |
Scalloped Hammerhead Shark |
9-12 feet | Moderately aggressive |
Tiger Shark |
10-14 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Smooth Hammerhead Shark | 8-12 feet | Not aggressive (but potentially dangerous) |
Bonnethead Shark |
4-5 feet | Not aggressive |
Blacknose Shark |
3-5 feet | Not aggressive |
Blue Shark |
6-11 feet | Not aggressive |
| Common Thresher Shark | 12-18 feet | Not aggressive |
| Finetooth Shark | 5-6 feet | Not aggressive |
| Oceanic Whitetip Shark | 10-13 feet | Highly Aggressive |
| Porbeagle Shark | 6-12 feet | Not aggressive |
Lemon Shark |
9-10 feet | Not aggressive |
Nurse Shark |
7-8 feet | Not aggressive |
| Great Hammerhead | 15-20 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Atlantic Angel Shark | 3-4 feet | Moderately aggressive |
FAQs
1. Are there great white sharks in Maryland?
The great whites aren’t regular here but are sighted occasionally. The latest sighting was on the 1st of July 2022 when OCEARCH tagged a 12-foot great white Scot, weighing around 1600 pounds, to the south of Ocean City at 9 in the morning. In June 2021, a 12-foot great white was spotted during the 3rd day of the Mako Mania Shark Tournament held at Bahia Marina. Captain Brandon Miller and his team had a close encounter with the shark that didn’t stay around long and swam away.
2. Can you cage dive with sharks in Maryland?
The National Aquarium is one of the places where visitors can have a unique experience of diving with sharks. Each cage accommodates six divers, and the total time for diving is around 40 minutes.
3. Where can one find shark’s teeth in Maryland?
The Calvert Cliffs region in Maryland’s Calvert County is one of the places where one could find fossilized shark teeth.
