News

No doubt, if you’re reading this you likely love sharks and enjoy seeing photos of these fascinating animals in their natural habitat. But what exactly does it take to line up the perfect shot of a shark? Well of course this depends on many factors…including the species. Find out just how much preparation and perseverance goes into getting the perfect shot of a Leopard Shark in Ningaloo, Australia. Including shooting in the ideal season, waiting for the right lighting - not too bright, not too dark, not to mention finding a wild Leopard Shark willing to play ball! Check out the results for yourself!

Tiger Sharks are known for their wide distribution across tropical and warm temperate oceans and their ability to inhabit a range of marine habitats. Now latest research analysing the genome of 242 Tiger Sharks across 10 regions has identified two distinct populations. The Atlantic population, and the Indo-Pacific population. This new discovery reinforces the need for population specific fisheries management to preserve the genetic diversity of this Near Threatened oceanic shark.

Fisheries management in Bangladesh has taken a step in the right direction following an amendment to the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act, 2012 to include more shark and ray species. The updated list strictly protects some of the most threatened families of chondrichthyan in the world including all guitarfish, wedgefish and sawfish, as well as an additional 23 species of shark and ray. Whilst allowing for sustainable fishing of 29 species only if capture is considered non-detrimental to populations. The updated legislation is a much-needed step towards reducing the extinction risk of elasmobranchs in the region. Of which over half of the 116 species known or suspected to occur in Bangladeshi waters are threatened with extinction.

A proposal to ban retention of all Greenland Shark caught on the high seas of Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) waters has been thwarted. Thought to live to ~400 years of age, and only reach reproductive age at ~150 years, Greenland Sharks are inherently vulnerable to overfishing. Despite support from multiple countries, the science-based proposal from the US was withdrawn after opposition from Iceland. Supporting Parties have pledged to reintroduce the proposal at the next annual meeting.

A national action plan for Australia’s sharks, rays and chimaeras has been published covering 328 species inhabiting the regions waters. The action plan reveals the extinction risk for these species, of which 12% have been assessed as having an elevated risk of extinction. This assessment is a call to action to protect sharks and rays in Australia, whose waters can serve as a refuge for certain species that are threatened in other parts of the world e.g. Giant Guitarfish, and Spotted Eagle Ray. Check out the full Action Plan here.

The coast of Kerry is known to be a hotspot for Basking Sharks during the summer months and now a proposal to make Tralee Bay and Dingle Bay protected areas for this Endangered shark has been submitted to the Irish Government. This new proposal follows off the back of a bill submitted earlier in the year to amend the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2021 in Ireland, and assign Basking Sharks protected status in Irish waters. It is hoped that the approval of both these bills will provide additional protection for Basking Sharks in these areas that are thought to be important breeding and nursery sites.

A group of Indigenous rangers and a researcher in the Northern Territory, Australia have spent the last nine years saving sawfishes stranded in billabongs and mangroves. To date they’ve rescued more than 70 sawfishes and released them back into the Daly River. Given the threatened status of these rays, the team is continuing to offer sawfishes a helping hand, whilst also reminding fishers to release any caught and encourage them to record details.

Researchers have recorded the greatest number of Grey Nurse Sharks in 13 years at a breeding site off the coast of Queensland. This site has been identified as the only known site where pregnant females congregate on the East Coast of Australia. Despite an apparent increase in numbers at this site, Grey Nurse Sharks are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to fishing pressure across their range.