SHARK, TOPE

S, T -

SHARK, TOPE

Scientific Name: 
Galeorhinus galeus, Galeorhinus australis
Fish Group: 
Shark
Salt/Fresh: 
Salt
Also Known As: 
School Shark; Tope Shark; Tope; Toper; Soupfin; Oil Shark; Vitamin Shark; TOPE SHARK
Rating: 
Countries: 
Australia
New Zealand
United States
Description: 

Tope (School) Sharks are medium sized sharks quite popular with anglers

How To Identify: 

Tope Sharks (School Sharks) have a long pointed snout, oval eye and distinctive teeth. Tope Sharks have a broad upper lobe on their tail which is deeply notched giving it a doubled tailed effect. Tope sharks colour varies from slaty purple to light bluish grey on the back and lighter below. They can grow to over 30 kgs.

How To Catch: 

Tope Sharks are an opportunistic feeder, feeding mostly on small to medium sized fish, squids and crabs. Often caught when offshore fishing for Snapper and in the early 70's was overfished in Victoria, Australia such that a ban was put in place to take them. Often also caught by anglers beach fishing at night for Tailor or Mulloway (particularly when there are schools of tailor or Australian Salmon around which they sometimes follow)

Where Found: 

 Tope Sharks (School Sharks) are found in the coastal continental waters of the Eastern Pacific, Western South Atlantic, Eastern Atlantic, Southwestern Indian Ocean and Western South Pacific. In Australia they are found right around the country but most common around Bass Strait and Tasmania. In New Zealand they are found right around the entire coastline.

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