Few Oregonians like to imagine an encounter with a shark. Haunted by “Jaws” and news reports of injured surfers, a vertical dorsal fin is enough to scare most people out of the ocean.
But while some sharks do sometimes pose a threat to people, the vast majority of Oregon’s sharks are harmless. Some are so small you might never notice them pass by.
Worldwide, there are more than 400 species of sharks, with 15 species off the coast of Oregon, according to Oregon Sea Grant. That includes eight bigger animals like the massive basking shark, the common blue shark and the infamous great white shark. The remaining seven are Oregon’s little sharks, ranging from the two-foot brown catshark to the 10-foot sevengill shark.
None of these sharks poses a threat to humans if unprovoked. Most are content to hunt their prey in peace, occasionally coming into contact with divers or fishing operations.
Shark attacks in Oregon are relatively rare, almost never fatal, and usually involve surfers, according to data compiled by The Oregonian/OregonLive. The most recent attack was in 2020 south of Seaside, when a great white bit a surfer’s leg.
If the thought of sharks makes your blood run cold, just remember that these nice, little creatures are out there too.
— Jamie Hale, The Oregonian/OregonLive
This stealthy bottom dweller has seven pairs of gill slits, whereas most sharks only have five. It can be commonly found in estuaries and bays, specifically Willapa Bay, Washington, where they are seasonally present during summer months. In Alaska, they’ve been known to attack harbor seals.Mark Graves/The Oregonian
Also known as the tope shark, this long snouted fish with big eyes and a large mouth has five gill slits and is common in the Pacific Northwest. In the 1930s and 1940s, they were fished for their vitamin A-rich livers. They’ll eat anything from bony fish to crustaceans and jellyfish.Mark Graves/The Oregonian
Fairly common in Oregon waters and easily identified by its leopard-like pattern, this fish can be found in large nomadic schools sometimes joined by piked dogfish and smooth-hound sharks. They feed mostly on bottom dwelling invertebrates.Mark Graves/The Oregonian
This wide-headed nocturnal fish spends much of its life huddled in sandy sea floors waiting to strike prey at high speeds. They can be found from Oregon to Alaska. They can be mistaken for rays but have gills on the sides of their heads rather than underneath.Mark Graves/The Oregonian
Also known as piked dogfish, this shark has spines on both dorsal fins. They can be found alone or in enormous groups. In the 1940s, they were targeted by fisheries for their livers which are rich in vitamin A. In the 1970s and ’80s, ones tagged in Canada migrated as far as California and Japan.Mark Graves/The Oregonian
Commonly found south of Coos Bay in shallow bays and estuaries, this shark has been known to swim at high speeds toward gill nets and leap over them before getting caught.Mark Graves/The Oregonian
Small and slender with a long snout, large eyes and wide nostrils, its habitat ranges from Oregon to Alaska. They feed on crustaceans, squids and fish. There are over 100 species of catsharks in the world, making them the largest family of sharks. Mark Graves/The Oregonian
Oregon’s seven smallest sharks. Mark Graves/The Oregonian
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–Mark Graves
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