Do sharks live in Maine? No… I’m not talking about land sharks! Perhaps surprisingly, sharks live and travel throughout Maine’s coastal waters. Although shark attacks in Maine are practically non-existent, the first ever historically known fatal shark attack occurred in 2020, when a woman was killed by a white shark as she swam in the waters off Harpswell. She was wearing a wetsuit that may have made her look much like a seal, a favorite food of white sharks. More recently a lifeguard was pulled underwater in Scarborough by a white shark that bit onto his yellow flotation device.
As Maine’s waters warm, as white sharks apparently increase in number, and as seals become more abundant, the Maine coast has become a magnet for white sharks. It is but one of twenty-three shark species that frequent the Gulf of Maine. Of the twenty-three, only spiny dogfish are common, while seven others are the most frequently seen but still rare. The eight most common shark species in Maine waters are:
Spiny Dogfish
The spiny dogfish is the most common shark in Maine waters. They live and travel in schools and can typically be found just off the ocean bottom. For this reason, they are a nuisance to bottom fishermen fishing for cod and haddock. Although they are challenging in terms of sport fishing, they are typically thrown back overboard and not eaten in the U.S. They are fished for commercially, however, and are often eaten in fish and chips in England. They are Maine’s smallest shark and grow up to four feet in length and typically weigh between 7 and 10 pounds. They are not aggressive towards people, but they do have rows of small, very sharp teeth. They feed primarily on squid and fish.
Blue Shark
The blue shark is considered to be one of the most beautiful sharks with a dark blue back, blue sides, and a white underside. Adult blue sharks typically range from 6 to 8 feet in length and weigh between 50 and 200 pounds, although older females can sometimes grow to over 12 feet and exceed over 400 pounds. It is the second most common shark in Maine waters. Blue sharks typically are found far from shore but may come closer to shore, particularly islands, at night. They are not aggressive towards humans, and they eat primarily squid and smaller fish. They are pelagic, meaning they can be found and travel widely around the globe. They are considered globally threatened due to overfishing and because they are often caught by industrial-scale fishing. They are one of the shark species used to make shark fin soup whereby the sharks are caught, the fins and tail are cut off, and they are thrown back into the ocean to die. Shark fin soup is not legal in the U.S.
Basking Shark
These can grow up to forty feet long and weigh as much as 38,000 to 45,000 pounds, and, after the whale shark, are the second largest fish in the world’s oceans. They are harmless to humans, as they have no teeth and feed solely on zooplankton, which they strain from the water with huge gaping mouths. They are sometimes seen near the surface as they cruise along slowly and feed as they swim. Like other shark species, whale shark numbers are declining globally.
Shortfin Mako Shark
These fastest sharks in the ocean are similar in appearance to blue sharks. They can be dangerous to humans; they typically feed on fish such as tuna, swordfish, squid, and other sharks. They can grow up to thirteen feet in length and weigh more than a thousand pounds. They are considered endangered due primarily to overfishing. Like blue sharks, they are often victims of the sharkfin soup industry.
Porbeagle Shark
With a name like Porbeagle, you have to wonder what it looks like. Its name is believed to come from a combination of Cornish (Celtic origin from southwest England) words meaning “porpoise” and “beagle” or perhaps “harbor” and “shepherd.” The porbeagle shark is a so-called “mackerel” shark that eats fish, primarily mackerel, herring, cod, and squid. It is a larger shark that can reach a weight of five hundred pounds and a length of twelve feet. Interestingly, it favors colder water and can actually raise its body temperature. Its numbers are greatly diminished due to overfishing.
Thresher Shark
The thresher shark is named for its long, whip-like tail that is reminiscent of the blade of a scythe, which is a long-bladed hand tool used for cutting wheat. They have a unique way of catching their prey. They swim around a school of smaller fish and use their tail to whip and stun their prey. They are of no threat to humans and are believed to eat only fish. Adult common thresher sharks range from 10 to 20 feet in length and weigh an average of 250 to 365 pounds, although exceptionally large adults can weigh as much as 700 pounds. Their tails can be as long as their bodies and up to ten feet long. They are one of the few shark species known for breaching or spontaneously jumping out of the water like sturgeon found in Maine rivers. Thresher sharks are pelagic, meaning they typically live in the deep ocean and rarely come close to shore.
Sand Tiger Shark
These sharks look fearful with their long-jagged teeth, but they are harmless to humans and feed only on other fish. They are nocturnal, meaning they are active primarily at night. Adult sand tiger sharks range from 6.5 to 10.5 feet in length and weigh between 200 and 350 pounds, with females being larger than males.
White Shark
This is the shark made famous and sensationalized by the movie Jaws. It was formerly referred to as the Great White Shark. It is the shark that, as an adult, is the most dangerous shark to humans. As juveniles they feed primarily on fish, and as they get older, marine mammals become their primary food source. Interestingly, white sharks are not at the top of the food chain, as they are favored prey of orcas (killer whales), which kill them and eat their livers. Adult great white sharks range from 11 to 21 feet in length and weigh between 1,500 and 4,000 pounds, with females being larger than males. During the summer of 2026, a small number of white sharks were regularly seen along the Maine coast, drawn primarily by the abundance of seals.
