Shortfin Mako

Identification and comparisons

Look for a sharply pointed snout, metallic blue upper body, pale underside and strong crescent tail. Narrow, curved teeth may remain visible even when the mouth is partly closed. The pectoral fins are much shorter than those of a longfin mako, and the underside around the mouth is pale rather than conspicuously dusky. Body proportions and several photographs are more useful than blue coloration alone. Florida Museum identification profile.

Atlantic Florida context

The Florida Museum documents a western Atlantic range from Canada to Argentina, including the Caribbean and Gulf. This is principally an oceanic shark, although it may approach coasts where deep water is nearby. Its inclusion here concerns the offshore Atlantic surrounding Florida, not an established sighting at a Vero Beach, Palm Beach or Key Largo dive site. NOAA regional identification guides.

Feeding, breeding and size

Fast-swimming fishes and squid form important parts of its diet. Makos produce live young, with embryos consuming eggs in the uterus. Females mature slowly and reproduce infrequently, which helps explain their vulnerability to fishing pressure. The museum reports a maximum around four meters total length, including the tail; that is a species maximum, not a typical encounter size. Species biology reference.

Three things worth noticing

• Short fins are relative: the name compares it with another mako.
• Its teeth are slender rather than the broad triangles of a white shark.
• Developing pups receive an internal supply of eggs as food.

Observation and harvest caution

Retention is prohibited under the current Florida listing, and NOAA maintains a zero-retention limit for Atlantic shortfin makos. Older fishing guides may describe obsolete allowances. Verify the NOAA zero-retention rule and current Florida shark guidance. Never land one simply to obtain a photograph.

For divers, the useful response is to stay with the group, follow the guide’s directions and give the animal room. Do not chase, touch, feed or block its path for a better image. Record the date, location, depth and identifying features after the encounter. An honest uncertain identification is better than attaching a confident species name to an indistinct silhouette.

Current recreational retention rules

Checked November 12, 2026: shortfin mako retention is prohibited in Florida, and NOAA maintains a zero-retention limit in Atlantic commercial and recreational HMS fisheries. Release an incidentally caught animal without removing it from the water; do not land it for photographs. Older minimum-size or bag-limit allowances do not authorize retention under the current zero limit. Official FWC shark rules Official NOAA retention guidance Official NOAA retention guidance Official NOAA retention guidance

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