Sharks Living in Fear of Jaws

July 14, 2005

Release from:
Greg Roberts
The Australian

The endangered grey nurse shark appears to live in fear of the great white shark, quickly leaving its feeding grounds if the larger shark appears on the scene.

A picture of the movements and habits of the grey nurse shark is emerging from research based on the tracking of tagged sharks which is being conducted by the NSW Department of Primary Industries. The study has monitored more than 40 sharks in NSW and Queensland over the past three years.

Research co-ordinator Nick Otway said a grey nurse shark recently left feeding grounds around Julian Rocks, off Byron Bay, as soon as a great white arrived.

"That fits in with other observations we've made suggesting that grey nurses are concerned about the great whites," Dr Otway said.

Fewer than 500 grey nurses survive in eastern Australian waters. Dr Otway said the population could be extinct within 20 years, largely because of sharks being accidentally hooked or netted by fishermen. "The breeding biology of this shark is such that it can't produce enough young to cope with mortality arising from human interference."