Court Action To Save Sharks May Halt Fishing

April 23, 2007

Release from: Tim Martin
Southern Courier (Australia)

The grey nurse shark is in danger of being fished to extinction, and measures to protect the species may result in all fishing - including mums and dads dropping a line - being banned off Maroubra.

The Nature Conservation Council (NCC) launched an action against the State Government in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal last week that could lead to the creation of new marine sanctuaries and the banning of some types of fishing hooks. There are fewer than 500 grey nurse sharks surviving off the east coast of Australia. "Up to 50 per cent of grey nurse shark deaths are caused by accidental capture in hook-and-line fishing. This includes everything from mum and dad fishers to commercial fishing boats," NCC director Cate Faehrmann said.

"Commercial and recreational fishing threatens the very survival of the grey nurse shark, and this court case seeks to ban fishing in places where the shark is known to live and breed."

One such place is Magic Point, Maroubra, a spot known as a critical habitat zone for grey nurse sharks.

"If the case is successful, fishing could be banned in known grey nurse shark habitats and commercial fishers will be required to change the gear they use to minimise their impact on the sharks," Ms Faehrmann said.

However, Stan Konstantaras, NSW president of the Australian National Sportsfishing Association, said he didn't understand why the NCC was targeting Maroubra.

"The NCC have still not been able to tell me where these sharks are being hooked," Mr Konstantaras said.

"These sharks move hundreds of kilometres in days, in all directions, depending on prey and water temperatures. Why ban fishing at Magic Point if these sharks are eating baits off Coffs Harbour?

"The sharks are doing well enough without the NCC's help. Only last year the NCC was telling us that there were fewer than 300 sharks. Now we have 500 - that's a great recovery in my view."