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Blue Shark

Prionace glauca

Fish · family Carcharhinidae · order Carcharhiniformes

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Blue Shark
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
5 states[3]
Longest recorded life
20 years[4]

The Blue Shark (Prionace glauca) is a fish in the family Carcharhinidae[5]. NatureServe ranks it G5 (Secure) worldwide, and it is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[2][1].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the Blue Shark a global rank of G5, which means Secure[2]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Near threatened[6]. The species is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data[1].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[6] Near threatened

Where Blue Shark lives

NatureServe lists the Blue Shark as native in 5 US states and territories: Delaware, Maine, New Jersey, South Carolina and Texas[3]. Observers on GBIF have reported it most often from California, New York, Massachusetts, Oregon and Maine[7]. Those record counts follow where people look and report, so they do not show how many animals live in each state[7].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: native, state rank SNRMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: native, state rank SNRNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: native, state rank SNRDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S5SCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank SNRTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[8].
Show state ranks (5 states)
StateRankMeaning
DelawareSNRNot Ranked
MaineSNRNot Ranked
New JerseySNRNot Ranked
South CarolinaS5Secure
TexasSNRNot Ranked

Lifespan

The longest recorded lifespan in the AnAge database is 20 years in the wild[4]. That is a record and not a typical lifespan[4]. AnAge lists a typical litter size of 30 young[9]. AnAge records female sexual maturity at 2,190 days[10].

Trait Value
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 20 years (wild)
Litter or clutch size[9] 30
Female maturity[10] 2,190 days (about 6.0 years)

When to look for it

Most GBIF records of the Blue Shark in the United States fall in August, September and October[11]. Records are lowest from January to March and rise through the early summer[11]. These records reflect when people look and report, not how many animals there are[11].

January: 13 recordsJanFebruary: 11 recordsFebMarch: 21 recordsMarApril: 60 recordsAprMay: 105 recordsMayJune: 902 recordsJunJuly: 5,673 recordsJulAugust: 21,928 recordsAugSeptember: 25,223 recordsSepOctober: 14,138 recordsOctNovember: 4,091 recordsNovDecember: 1,236 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[11].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January13
February11
March21
April60
May105
June902
July5,673
August21,928
September25,223
October14,138
November4,091
December1,236

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Blue Shark as present in 1 park units[12]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: California, New York, Massachusetts, Oregon, Maine[7]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Blue Shark endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5 (Secure), and the IUCN category recorded by NatureServe is Near threatened[2][6].
Where does the Blue Shark live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as native in 5 US states and territories: Delaware, Maine, New Jersey, South Carolina and Texas[3]. GBIF observers have reported it most often from California, New York, Massachusetts, Oregon and Maine[7].
How long does a Blue Shark live?
The longest recorded lifespan in the wild is 20 years[4]. This is a record, not a typical lifespan[4].
When is the Blue Shark reported in the US?
Most GBIF records fall in August, September and October[11]. Records show when people report the animal, not how many there are[11].

Facts and sources

  1. Blue Shark is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Blue Shark: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Blue Shark as native in 5 US states and territories: Delaware, Maine, New Jersey, South Carolina, Texas. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 20 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Blue Shark (Prionace glauca) is a fish in the family Carcharhinidae, order Carcharhiniformes. NatureServe Explorer
  6. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Near threatened. NatureServe Explorer
  7. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Blue Shark: California, New York, Massachusetts, Oregon, Maine. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  8. NatureServe state ranks for Blue Shark (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  9. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 30. AnAge
  10. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 2,190 days (about 6.0 years). AnAge
  11. GBIF observation records of Blue Shark in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  12. NPSpecies park lists recording Blue Shark as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.