Sharks in South Carolina

South Carolina has around 12 shark species, with the state ranking fourth after Florida, Hawaii, and California when it comes to shark attacks. The 2021 data of the International Shark Attack File has recorded four unprovoked attacks in SC with 0 fatalities.

Of the several shark sightings in 2022, the significant ones include the blacktip shark sighted swimming close to Forest Beach on Hilton Head Island during the Labor Day weekend in September. Breton, a 13-foot male great white shark, was tracked by Ocearch along the coast of Myrtle Beach on the 2nd of August 2022.

Sharks in South Carolina

List of the Different Types of Sharks in South Carolina

Species Maximum Size Aggressiveness
Bull Shark 7-12 feet Highly aggressive
Bonnethead Sharks 4-5 feet Not aggressive
Great White Shark 11-16 feet Highly aggressive
Lemon Shark 9-10 feet Not aggressive
Finetooth Shark 5-6 feet Not aggressive
Blacknose Shark 3-5 feet Not aggressive
Tiger Shark 10-14 feet Highly aggressive
Nurse Shark 18-32 feet Not aggressive
Scalloped Hammerhead 9-12 feet Moderately aggressive
Great Hammerhead 15-20 feet Highly aggressive
Sand Tiger Shark 7-10 feet Not aggressive (due to their small mouths)
Blacktip Shark 5-8 feet Moderately aggressive

Interesting Facts

  • South Carolina has always held a special place in the United States’ history of paleontology, as North America’s first recorded vertebrate fossils came from here. In 2022, the rich reserves of the state once again came to light when an 8-year-old boy Lebanon came across a fossilized shark tooth, 4.75 inches long, during a vacation at Myrtle Beach with his family.
  • In 2022 incident a unique incident of a shark nipping the foot of an alligator was filmed, unintentionally though. One Cory Conlon was taking the video of the alligator when he spotted the shark coming right up to it and attacking it. The alligator jumped in surprise at the sudden event but didn’t seem hurt.

FAQs

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Shark in SC can be caught during summer near the inlets and estuaries along Murrells Inlet, Little River Inlet, and other areas adjacent to the Grand Strand region. The common catches include the sandbar, blacktip, and bull sharks.

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