The IUCN/SSC Shark Specialist Group
Shark News 12: November 1998
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Victorian Waters a Safe Haven for White Sharks
A 'declaration of protected aquatic biota' under the Victorian Fisheries
Act 1995 on 4 August 1998 brought full protection to the white shark
Carcharodon carcharias in Victorian waters. This declaration is designed
to prevent people from killing, injuring or disturbing the species.
This together with two existing pieces of legislation effectively
makes all waters within 3 nautical miles of Victoria a white shark
sanctuary. Risk from accidental kill is minimised by a ban implemented
10 years ago on the use of shark gillnets and shark longlines in these
waters. Unintentional disturbance is reduced by a ban adopted earlier
this year on the use of mammal blood or any body part as berley
(chum). These are significant initiatives for the conservation of this
species because Victoria is an important area for white sharks. Both
large and small white sharks occur here, although mid-sized animals
between about 2.5 and 3.5 m total length appear to be less abundant.
There are signs that young white sharks aggregate and that their
numbers are increasing in the region off the east coast of Wilson's
Promontory near Ninety Mile Beach. Evidence for this comes from
recreational fishers targeting snapper Pagrus auratus and other species
of teleost over limestone reefs. These fishers report hooking, or
attracting to their boats, white sharks of
length less than 2.5 m during the spring and
summer. Occasionally snapper are bitten
off their hooks by small white sharks. Other
evidence of small animals in the region comes
from newspaper reports and observations by the
author during the 1970s of commercial landings and
research cruise catches.
Anecdotal reports from professional and recreational fishers
and divers indicate large white sharks aggregate at four Australian fur
seal Arctocephalus pusillus breeding colonies in Victoria. These
breeding colonies are at Lady Julia Percy Island, Seal Rocks, Kanowna
Island and The Skerries. Seal biologist Robert M. Warneke observed
and recorded seal pups in the stomachs of white sharks caught near
Seal Rocks. During 1967-1969 he captured ten white sharks 3.5-
4.5 m total length off Seal Rocks at various times of the year: January
(2), March (1), April (1), June (1), August (1), September (1), October
(1) and November (2). He also observed white sharks taking seal pups
in the water and young seals ashore with shark bite wounds (pers. comm.).
Terence I. Walker, Marine and Freshwater Resources Institute,
PO Box 114, Queenscliff, Victoria 3225, Australia
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