whitenose shark
Nasolamia velox
Shallow-water shark of the eastern Pacific, from Mexico to Peru, endangered. It does not occur in Brazil and has little use in commercial fishing.
Also called: tubarão-focinho-branco, pico blanco, cazón coyotito, whitenose shark
- maximum
- 150 cm
- depth
- 15–24 m
who is the whitenose shark
The whitenose shark is a shark of the family Carcharhinidae, with a slender body and a long snout with a pale tip. It reaches 150 cm. It lives on the continental shelf, near the bottom, close to the coast and offshore, usually between 15 and 24 m. It feeds on small fish, such as anchovies, and on crabs. It is viviparous, with five pups per litter, born at 53 cm. There are no records of attacks on people. It is used fresh and frozen for food and turned into fishmeal, but has little commercial use.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the whitenose shark; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Slender shark with a long snout and a pale tip, which gives the species its name. Like the other sharks in its family, it has two dorsal fins and an anal fin. It lives on the eastern Pacific continental shelf, usually between 15 and 24 m. It shares the region with the Pacific sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon longurio), which also has a long snout.
Loading the next 7 days…
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Eastern Pacific, from the Gulf of California and Baja California, in Mexico, to Peru, including the coast of Central America. It does not occur in Brazil.
Habitat: Eastern Pacific continental shelf, usually between 15 and 24 meters deep.
rules for the whitenose shark
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Sharp-toothed shark: hold it by the base of the tail and the head, without getting close to the mouth, and release it with minimal handling.
in the kitchen
Used fresh and frozen for food, and also for fishmeal.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.0049, b = 3.08; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
—
sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Nasolamia velox (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Nasolamia veloxNames by country and language.
