Leopard Sharks in San Francisco Bay

Leopard sharks (Triakis semifasciata)

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Distribution of Leopard sharks in San Francisco Bay

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Leopard sharks are distributed from Mazatlan, Mexico to Oregon. In the San Francisco Bay/Estuary they are found primarily in the more marine areas. Most are resident with some movement out of the Bay occurring the fall. Leopard sharks are fished both commercially and recreationally, with the recreational fishery accounting for the majority of the catch. Concern over the potential for overfishing lead to the implementation of size and bag limits in 1991.

Annual abundance indices for the leopard sharks are generated from the San Francisco Bay Monitoring Program using otter trawl data.