The IUCN/SSC Shark Specialist Group
SSG Regions - Australia and Oceania: News
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First Regional Shark Specialist Group Red List Workshop held in Australia
On 7-9 March 2003, the IUCN Shark Specialist Group (SSG) Australia and Oceania regional group met in Australia at the University of Queensland's Moreton Bay Research Station on North Stradbroke Island for a Red List workshop. This 3-day meeting was the first in a series of regional Red List workshops planned for 2003 by the SSG, and focused on the urgent task of assessing the conservation status of sharks, rays and chimaeras in the Australia and Oceania region.
Eighteen SSG members attended the workshop from Australia, New Zealand, USA, UK and South Africa. Other (non-SSG) participants included shark experts from the Australian Museum, CSIRO Marine Research and Murdoch University, together with observers from Environment Australia and the Marine and Coastal Community Network (SA). Funding was provided by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, The University of Queensland (UQ) (Centre for Marine Sciences; School of Biomedical Sciences; Faculty of Biological and Chemical Sciences) and Sea World, Gold Coast.
Provisional Results
Using the Red List categories and criteria, the conservation status of 201 species of chondrichthyans (156 sharks, 41 batoids and 4 chimaeras) occurring in the Australia and Oceania region was assessed. Each species was discussed during the meeting and preliminary consensus was reached by the group. Fourteen species were classified in threatened categories (four Critically Endangered, one Endangered and nine Vulnerable), 66 were classified as currently Near Threatened, 84 Least Concern and 37 Data Deficient. The results are now to be reviewed by the global SSG network in order to achieve final consensus on each species assessment before submission to the IUCN Red List. Final assessments may differ in some cases from those made during the workshop.
In addition to the regional significance of this achievement, the workshop outcomes also represent considerable progress towards the SSG goal to complete assessments for all sharks and as many batoids and chimaeras as possible within the next 12 months (a total of over 1,000 species worldwide). Further Red List workshops are planned for South America, southern Africa and the Mediterranean during 2003.
The Australia and Oceania workshop outcomes, analysis and recommendations will be published in a comprehensive report, supported by Environment Australia, summarising the conservation status of the region's chondrichthyan fauna. The report is expected to be available July 2003. Watch this space for details!
Rachel Cavanagh, Former Shark Specialist Group Programme Officer
Peter Kyne, AO Regional Shark Specialist Group member
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