Great Hammerhead

Great Hammerhead

Sphyrna mokarran
Great Hammerhead

Average Weight/Length

Commonly runs more than 500 pounds and sometimes as much as 1,000 pounds; possibly can reach one ton. World Record 991 pounds.

Other "Popular" Names for this Fish

Giant Hammerhead

Location Habitat

The open sea. But often (too often?) ventures close to shore, and especially likes the deep Gulf Coast passes when schools of big tarpon are present. A coastal-pelagic, semi-oceanic shark, found close inshore and well offshore, over the continental shelves, island terraces, and in passes and lagoons. Often bottom and reef associated at 1-80 m. Prefers to feed on stingrays and other batoids, groupers and sea catfishes, but also preys on other small bony fishes, crabs, squid, other sharks, rays, and lobsters. A viviparous species, with 13-42 of about 56 to 70 cm young in a litter. Potentially dangerous to people but only few, if any, of the attacks on people can be definitely attributed to it because of the apparent difficulty of distinguishing large hammerhead species involved in attacks. Caught occasionally by target shark longline, demersal tangle net and tuna gillnet fisheries

Biology & Physical Description

Frequently identifiable by size alone. Small ones can be distinguished from the Scalloped Hammerhead by the rather flat frontal edge of the head, and by the rear edge of the pelvic fin, which is curved only in the Great Hammerhead. Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 0. A very large hammerhead also with a notch at the center of the head. Front margin of head gently curved in juveniles, becoming nearly straight in adults, with slight median notch. 1st dorsal fin very high and curved; 2nd dorsal and pelvic fins high and with deeply concave rear margins. Light grey or grey-brown above, white below; fins without conspicuous markings

Life Cycle & Mating Behavior

Viviparous with a yolk sac placenta and 13-42 young in a litter; 6-42 pups after gestation period of ~11 months. Size at birth between 50 to 70 cm TL

Geographic Species Map (Fishbase.org Map)

Summary of Distribution: Circumglobal in coastal warm temperate and tropical seas. Western Atlantic: North Carolina, USA to Uruguay, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Eastern Atlantic: Mediterranean and Morocco to Senegal. Indo-Pacific: throughout the Indian Ocean; Ryukyu Islands to New Caledonia and French Polynesia. Eastern Pacific: southern Baja California, Mexico to Peru. Highly migratory species

Note: Distribution range colors indicate degree of suitability of habitat which can be interpreted as probabilities of occurrence (fishbase.org)

Sport Fishing Techniques

Gill nets

Gill-nets are the dominant gear in the Indian Ocean. Gill-nets are used in artisanal and semi-industrial fisheries, contributing to 30-40% of the total catch. The net design is comprised of continuous panels of uniform mesh size, aimed to trap fish behind the gills. The International Sustainable Seafood Foundation (ISSF) notes that rates of sharks and turtle by-catch in Indian Ocean gill-net fisheries are high..

River Drift

River Drift means to use the....

Trawling

Trawling is when....

Tackle & Baits

Only the heaviest sporting gear stands much of a chance- 130-pound line or, at the least, 80-pound. Will take a large fresh-dead baitfish, but is more easily hooked on oversize live bait.

Game Rating

Game Rating : 9/10

Game Description :

Monstrous size alone makes it an equally monstrous angling challenge.

Food Rating

Game Rating : 8/10

Game Description :

Its large fins, including the tail, sail-like first dorsal fin, are prized in the Oriental shark fin trade. Meat utilized for human consumption (fresh, fresh-frozen, dried-salted, and smoked), liver oil for vitamins, fins for soup, hides for leather, and carcasses for fishmeal

Picture (Fish)