Fishermen Asked To Help With Shark Study

September 21, 2006

Release from: The Age (Australia)

Sharks may be feared for their sharp teeth and lethal bite but scientists are trying to determine whether too many of them are being fished in Australia's northern waters.

Top End researchers recently began a three-year study into the sustainability of shark fishing in northern Australia.

But there's a catch - they need fisherman to help them with the study.

Dr Iain Field, from Charles Darwin University, Darwin, has been tagging a large number of sharks in the fishery along the Northern Territory coast.

"Sharks play a vital role in keeping our seas healthy," he said in a statement.

"We now have a number of tagged sharks out there and it's really exciting knowing that when they are caught again we'll have a much better idea of how the sharks are responding to the fisheries."

When caught, the sharks are marked with two highly visible plastic tags that provide information about their growth, survival and movement.

But to get the information, the scientists need the fisherman to catch the shark, make a few notes and then let it go.

"Fishermen are requested to report the tag colour and number, which species of shark was caught and the date and location of the catch and, if possible, photograph the fish and release it alive," said NT Fisheries scientist Dr Rik Buckworth.

"We now have more than 230 sharks that have been caught, tagged and released, west of Darwin, mainly in the Dundee and Bynoe Harbour areas.

"We ask that fishermen if they catch any of these sharks to please report them to us."

As a thank you for dealing with animals, dubbed the man-eaters of the sea, Dr Buckworth said a reward would be offered for the information.

The scientists said the domestic fishery was small and well managed and that there were far greater potential threats from the increasing numbers of illegal, unregulated and largely unreported fishermen invading Australian waters each year.