Sharks of Hawaii

Hawaiian Name: “Ka Mano“

Sharks are an important aspect of Hawaiian culture. The Hawaiian dictionary lists nine Hawaiian Gods that were associated with sharks, with some revered as important to specific areas.

Some also believe that under certain conditions, a deceased relative could be reincarnated in the form of a specific shark known by a special name. A shark could be a type of guardian spirit, an “`Aumakua” – protectors of certain families (read more about amakua and sharks).

It is a truly awesome and unique experience to see top predators in the wild. I (being in the water on a regular basis), do not want the take-home image of a shark in an induced frenzy mode embedded in my mind, but would rather appreciate their natural beauty in a sharks more serene state of curiosity.

Check us out on Shark Week! We took out crew from BBC to film the dolphin and turtle footage for Tiger Shark Attack: Beyond Fear.

Hawaii is home to approximately 40 species of sharks ranging in size from the deep-water pygmy shark (about 8 inches) to the whale shark (up to 50 feet or more) 1. Some of the common species found in Hawaiian waters include:

Galapagos shark: Up to 12 ft in length, brownish gray on dorsal surface, white underside, trailing edge of tail is dusky, but not black.

Blacktip reef shark: Up to 6 ft in length, light brown with large black marks on the first dorsal fin and lower tail tips, no interdorsal ridge.

Whitetip reef shark (Hawaiian: mano lalakea): Up to 7 f, generally under 5 ft gray; slightly flat-headed with small white tips on the tops of the first and second dorsal and tail fins

Scalloped hammerhead shark (Hawaiian: mano kihikihi) Length Up to 14 ft, generally under 7 ft, gray with flattened hammer-like head with a central indentation

Tiger shark (Hawaiian: niuhi) Up to 18 ft, generally under 14 ft. Broadly rounded snout; distinctive curved serrated teeth; strong spotting pattern in young sharks, turning to stripes which fade with age.

The Oceanic Whitetip shark is a large pelagic requiem shark with a stocky body, and long white-tipped, rounded fins. The species is typically solitary, though they may gather in large numbers at food concentrations. The IUCN Red List considers the species to be critically endangered due to steeply declining populations as they are harvested for their fins and meat.

Sharks’ Population Shrunk 90 Percent In 15 Years

Sharks: Misunderstood, Not Monsters

Rows of teeth. Unblinking eyes. Hollywood didn’t do sharks any favors. Thanks to movies like Jaws, these ancient creatures have been cast as villains in the water. But here’s the truth: sharks aren’t hunting us. We’re hunting them.

As George Burgess, former director of shark research at the University of Florida, put it:

“The real story in sharks is not ‘Shark bites man,’ it’s ‘Man bites shark.’”

Of the roughly 400 known species of sharks, only a handful pose any real risk to humans. Statistically, you’re more likely to be injured by your toaster than a shark. Yet sharks face devastating odds—because of us.

After ruling the seas for over 450 million years (yes, they predate dinosaurs), sharks are now disappearing fast. Really fast. Scientists estimate some populations have plummeted by up to 90% in just the past 15 years.

Why?

  • Bycatch from commercial fishing—sharks accidentally snagged while targeting tuna or swordfish.

  • Targeted fishing for shark meat or cartilage.

  • And most tragically, shark finning—where fins are sliced off and the rest is tossed overboard. These fins fuel a booming luxury market, particularly for shark fin soup, still served at weddings and celebrations in parts of Asia.

It’s estimated that 11,000 sharks are killed every hour, every day.

Species like the dusky, sand tiger, and night shark are now candidates for endangered species protection in U.S. waters. But the crisis is global, and the clock is ticking.

Why It Matters

Sharks aren’t just ocean “tough guys.” They’re vital apex predators that keep ecosystems in balance. Remove them, and you risk collapsing entire marine food webs. Coral reefs, fisheries, even the seafood you love to eat—all rely on sharks doing their job.

When you swim, snorkel, or dive in Hawaiian waters, you’re entering their world. And the more we learn about them, the more we see how deeply they belong—and how much they need our help.

Want to help shift the story?
Skip the fear. Share the facts. Support sustainable seafood. And never, ever order the shark fin soup.

“Sharks have survived, virtually unchanged, for millions of years. They are highly evolved, as perfectly in tune with their environment as any living thing on the planet. For them to be driven to extinction by man, a relative newcomer, would be more than an ecological tragedy; it would be a moral travesty.”
– Peter Benchley

How to help

  • Don’t buy products that contain shark cartilage, such as some medical and diet products.
  • Don’t buy shark jaws or teeth as souvenirs.
  • Don’t buy or eat shark fin soup at home or while traveling abroad. To make the soup, fishermen typically cut off the sharks’ fins and then throw the animal back to die. The practice has been outlawed in U.S. waters but continues elsewhere.
  • Let your state and federal lawmakers know that you support efforts to promote shark conservation, such as restrictions on fishing for the most vulnerable species.

“In The End We Will Conserve Only What We Love
We Will Love Only What We Understand
We Will Understand Only What We Are Taught”
– Baba Dioum

Our wildlife tours focus on education and conservation so that an interactive relationship can be maintained in the best interest of both humans and dolphins. We teach admiration and deep respect for these wonderful mammals.