Tagging Study To Evaluate NT Shark Population

May 17, 2007

Release from: ABC News Online (Australia)

Scientists have tagged 1,000 sharks in Northern Territory waters as part of a three-year study into local populations.

The shark project has been running for nine months under funding from Australia's Research Council and the Northern Territory's Fishing Industry.

Dr Iain Field from the Australian Institute of Marine Science says scientists will be able to use data from the tagging to determine a sustainable level of commercial fishing effort for the Territory waters.

But he says there are many hours of tagging ahead before that can happen.

"At the moment we have 1,000 sharks tagged, we're looking to tag possibly about 3,000 by the end of next year," Dr Field said.

"From that we'll then be able to start saying how healthy we think the population is and how quickly it can respond to fishing effort."