Fishing limits

Size limit: No minimum legal length.

Fishing zoneDaily bag limitDaily boat limit
Spencer Gulf13
Gulf St Vincent and Kangaroo Island12
All other waters13

Species with combined daily fishing limits

Fishing gear restrictions apply to metropolitan shark fishing.

Learn about the rules and handling guidelines for fishing for sharks and rays.


Identification

Smooth Hammerheads have:

  • an olive to grey-brown back
  • a white underside
  • dusky tips on ventral fins
  • small angular serrated teeth
  • a long upper lobe of tail with a large upright dorsal fin that appears over-sized compared to the length of the shark
  • a hammer-shaped head with eyes on each end that bulges forward.

They range in size up to ~3.5 m and feed on squids, prawns, crabs, and pelagic fish.


Habitat

In South Australia, Smooth Hammerhead live in both gulfs and continental shelf waters out to depths of ~500 m.

They are commonly seen swimming at the surface in gulf waters during calm, hot weather in summer.