salmon shark
Lamna ditropis
Cold-water shark of the North Pacific, with records in Mexico. It can be dangerous, is caught on rod and line, and its flesh and fins are used.
Also called: tubarão-salmão, tiburón salmón, marrajo salmón, salmon shark
- maximum
- 305 cm
- record/max.
- 175.0 kg
- depth
- 0–152 m
who is the salmon shark
The salmon shark is a shark of the family Lamnidae, with a sturdy body. It reaches 305 cm and weighs up to 175 kg, and its common size is 180 cm. It lives in cold and temperate waters of the North Pacific, from the surface down to 152 m, and frequents the coast and open ocean. It feeds on fish. It is ovoviviparous, with up to 4 pups per litter, and lives up to 27 years. It is considered potentially dangerous, but rarely attacks people. It causes losses to commercial catches and fishing gear.
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 salmon shark.
identification
Sturdy, fusiform body, with the first dorsal fin uniformly dark, without a pale tip. The belly is white with dark spots. Like other lamnids, it has a crescent-shaped tail. It lives in cold boreal and temperate waters of the North Pacific, which sets it apart from warm-water sharks.
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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
North Pacific, from Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk to southern California (USA) and Baja California, in Mexico. In Latin America it occurs only in Mexico.
Habitat: Coastal and pelagic waters of the North Pacific, from the surface down to 152 meters deep.
rules for the salmon 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.
Potentially dangerous shark: do not get close to the mouth or the fins, and release it with care and minimal handling.
in the kitchen
Eaten fresh, dried, salted or frozen; the fins are highly valued, and the flesh can be grilled or baked.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00933, b = 3.04; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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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: Lamna ditropis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Lamna ditropisNames by country and language.