Australia Shark Count Breaking Records

April 28, 2008

Release from: Jennifer Viegas
Discovery News

Australians apparently have a good chance of spotting a shark in the wild, since a new project called the Great Australia Shark Count has thus far determined at least 4,022 sharks swim in waters surrounding the land down under.

While that figure is expected to rise as the count continues, the project has already broken records and is now considered to be the world's largest community shark count, Michael Rupnik, the project's executive officer, told Discovery News.

Prior contenders for that title were the award-winning Ecocean whale shark project, which has reported 1,100 shark sightings in over 10 years, and the global Shark Trust, which has had about 200 shark sightings since 1997.

Adam Smith, national chair of the Australian Underwater Federation that is overseeing the count, credits its success to two reasons.

"Firstly, we have lots of sharks in Australia and people love getting in the water and diving and fishing," he said, adding that Australians also possess "a thirst for knowledge and want to make a difference."

Count participants include scuba divers, underwater spear fishermen and many other recreational water users.

While the project will continue throughout the year, the current most reported shark is the wobbegong, with 903 sightings. The grey nurse shark follows, with 733, and Port Jackson sharks round out the top three with a count of 519.

Other commonly spotted sharks include the grey reef shark, the whitetip reef shark, whale sharks, the blacktip reef shark, the tiger shark, gill sharks and the toothy great white. So far, participants have recorded 13 great white sightings.

Shark aficionados would do well to visit New South Wales, as that state ranks over all others in numbers of sharks observed. It leads the count with 2,720 sightings and is followed by Queensland at 1,506 and Western Australia at 181. Victoria, South Australia, and the Northern Territory follow, with Tasmania holding up the rear with only two sharks there making the count.

Sharks often wind up as by-catch in commercial fishery operations and many species are under threat. Smith hopes the count will raise awareness of sharks, particularly among fishermen and those who are most likely to encounter the streamlined fish.

"Sharks can inspire awe, fear, respect, curiosity, concern and myths," he explained. "Most people love talking about sharks and we want people, particularly divers and fishers, to be involved in monitoring and to communicate what species they have seen and where so that we can all have a greater understanding of sharks in Australian waters."

Adelaide's Fox Shark Research Foundation focuses specifically on great whites and their importance to the ecosystem. The foundation's executive director, Andrew Fox, enthusiastically supports the Australia count.

"The project gives tremendous public exposure to creatures, which have previously suffered often-negative education campaigns in the past, such as during the media hype of any shark attack," Fox said.

He added, "With the support of so many diverse groups monitoring sharks across Australia, this AUF initiative will not only provide valuable information on shark populations but, perhaps more importantly, it encourages a more positive social awareness essential to a sustainable future for sharks."