The Galapagos shark is currently listed as Near Threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, the Galapagos shark might be listed as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered in the near future. In Australia and the western Pacific Ocean, the Galapagos shark is considered "Data Deficient" due to a lack of information on populations in this region. However, there is a marine reserve that surrounds this species' range off Lord Howe Island and the Kermadec Islands (New Zealand), where it is not considered to be under threat. 