Shark Hotspot: Galveston Bay Home to Diverse Marine Predators

Long before sharks became a pop culture phenomenon, they were already thriving off the coast of Galveston. Today, the city’s surrounding waters remain one of the most diverse shark habitats along the Gulf Coast.

Galveston Bay and the nearby Gulf are home to a range of species that includes bull sharks, blacktip sharks, spinner sharks, and Atlantic sharpnose sharks—many of which spend part of their lives in the bay’s shallow, brackish waters.

“These waters are uniquely suited for a variety of shark species,” said Mark Fisher of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Coastal Fisheries Division.

Fisher further shared, “Galveston Bay in particular offers a safe, food-rich environment that supports both young and mature sharks.”

Outside the bay, more powerful open-ocean species make appearances as well. Tiger sharks, mako sharks, and hammerheads—including both great and scalloped—are known to roam deeper waters off the Galveston coast.

R.J. David Wells, who leads the Shark Biology and Fisheries Lab at Texas A&M University at Galveston, says that the region’s mix of freshwater inflow, coastal structure, and access to the open Gulf makes it an ideal habitat. “It’s a complex ecosystem that supports a wide range of marine life, including some of the Gulf’s most iconic shark species,” he said.

The area is also a nursery ground for juvenile sharks. Bull sharks, in particular, use the freshwater river mouths feeding into Galveston Bay as birthing areas. As they mature, the young fish gradually move into saltier waters and eventually into the Gulf.

Even stingrays, close relatives of sharks, thrive here, especially the Atlantic stingray. Both rays and sharks belong to the elasmobranch group, meaning their skeletons are composed of cartilage rather than bone.

While public interest in sharks tends to spike this time of year, locals know they’re a quiet, constant presence in the waters off Galveston. Fisher adds, “They’re here, they’ve always been here, and they’re a sign of a healthy coastal ecosystem.”