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Plan for Assessment of Queensland EastCoast Shark Resources 2009–14

© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2011. Except as permitted by the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this work may in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or any other means be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or be broadcast or transmitted without the prior written permission of the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The copyright owner shall not be liable for technical or other errors or omissions contained herein. The reader/user accepts all risks and responsibility for losses, damages, costs and other consequences resulting directly or indirectly from using this information.

Purpose of this plan This plan has been developed by the Fisheries Queensland Shark Assessment Working Group (Appendix 1) and sets out the historical context and the strategies to be implemented by 2014 to assess the population status of major shark species being taken in the East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery (ECIFFF).

The plan documents the specific data needed for future stock assessments and describes Fisheries Queensland programs in place or implemented since 2009 that address these needs. This plan will remain flexible, being informed by the improved species-level information coming from compulsory daily fishers’ logbooks, introduced together with new management arrangements in July 2009 and from ongoing Fisheries Observer Program activities. Future assessments will also make use of the results emerging from the range of research programs investigating tropical and subtropical shark life history, distribution and demographics and be informed by any novel stock assessment techniques that are applied elsewhere to shark stocks.

The assessments undertaken as part of the plan will inform fisheries managers about the effectiveness of shark harvest strategies in place since 2009. This will include development of target and limit reference points together with the capacity to review current output controls in the commercial fisheries (Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC)). The assessment will build on the current performance measures relating to commercial shark harvest in the ECIFFF Performance Measurement System (PMS).

Historical context

Queensland fisheries legislation requires that the harvest of fish resources is ecologically sustainable while optimizing economic returns and meeting social objectives. Regular and robust assessments of the status of fished resources are fundamental to achieving these outcomes.

Based on daily catch records provided to Fisheries Queensland through the compulsory commercial fisheries logbook program, in place since 1988, a maximum annual catch of ~1300 t of sharks was harvested from Queensland east coast waters in 2003. Shark fillets are sold on the domestic market and shark fins fetch a high price on export markets. Consequently, there is significant incentive for fishers to continue to harvest sharks in Queensland’s fisheries.

Together with global concerns about the sustainability to high fishing pressure of shark populations, the increasing shark catch reported from Queensland east coast waters over the past ten years resulted in increased management concern and has seen new arrangements implemented by the Queensland Government in 2008/09 for the harvest of sharksi.

Basic life history information is critical to our understanding of shark population dynamics and stock assessments. DEEDI continues to undertake, encourage and support the research that underpins future stock assessment.

i The term ‘shark’ as used here refers to all chondrichthyan fishes i.e. all sharks, rays and chimaeras.

Plan for Assessment of Queensland East Coast Shark Resources 2009–14 1

Despite the importance of northern Australian shark fisheries since the 1980s, knowledge of the basic biology of exploited tropical shark species in Queensland waters and the species composition of catches in diverse fisheries remains limited. The Independent Review of the ECIFFF management arrangement report (Gunn, Meere and Stevens, 2008) acknowledged that ‘stock assessments usually require at least five years of data before reasonable estimates of stock size and sustainable harvest rates can be determined. Further it was acknowledged in that report that tagging programs could provide estimates of fishing pressure in a shorter time period but were better suited to target species in a fishery rather than to fisheries where sharks are by-product or bycatch.

Recent Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) and Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for the Great Barrier Reef funded projects have provided some additional biological information and examined the genetic stock structure of some key exploited tropical sharks across northern Australia (Salini et al. 2006; Hyland 2006). These data were examined by Gribble et al. (2005) in a risk assessment of shark species known to occur off the Queensland east coast that identified a medium to high relative risk to the sustainability of a number of commercially harvested shark species.

Recent research also highlighted the diversity of life history strategies among the species present in ECIFFF catches. While some species are long lived, reach maturity at more than five years of age and produce few young, others mature at less than two years of age, produce multiple young and may be more productive and resilient to fishing than some exploited teleost fishes (Harry et al. 2011; Tobin et al. 2010).

A Commonwealth Marine and Tropical Science Research Facility (MTSRF) funded James Cook University (JCU)/DEEDI/CSIRO project commenced in 2006 at the Fishing and Fisheries Research Centre in Townsville. Objectives included increasing knowledge specifically of the life history biology of sharks and catch composition from the ECIFFF through at-sea observers and fishery independent surveys and updating the previous risk assessments of shark (and other teleost species) making use of the most current data. Several JCU postgraduate studies have been seeded from this project and have published results from 2010 (e.g. Harry et al. 2010, 2011; Knip et al., 2010).

Fisheries Queensland is also undertaking research work on the life history of key species of sharks taken in the Shark Control Program and has provided funding for life history and movement studies of major coastal species from southern Queensland through Griffith University. Life history studies of Moreton Bay chondrichthyans including some commercially exploited shark species are also being undertaken at the University of Queensland (UQ), with some joint project supervision from DEEDI staff.

Historical information relevant to shark assessment available

Basic distribution, life history and demographic characteristics of important shark species in the ECIFFF was compiled (in the form of a matrix) to assist the management planning process in 2007. This was updated in August 2011 with revised information and additional attributes to support assessment work. This spreadsheet will be updated by Fisheries Queensland as the results of new research become available (Appendix 2 shows example species from the spreadsheet which includes 149 shark and ray taxa).

Priority species for assessment

The Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPaC) Independent Review Panel for the ECIFFF recommended that stock assessment models be developed for blacktip (Carcharhinus tilstoni and C. limbatus), spot-tail (C sorrah), milk and sharpnose (Rhizoprionodon acutus and R. taylori) and hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna spp). This recommendation was based on the expert opinion of the review panel and very limited available research data. The species composition of the Queensland east coast shark catch taken prior to 2009 was only reported through daily logbooks at the level of ‘whaler’, ‘hammerhead’ and ’other sharks and rays’.


The Shark Assessment Working Group reviewed available catch composition and species abundance data in August and November 2009, while mindful of this recommendation, and developed an initial priority species list for detailed assessment purposes, again based largely on limited research data. This list was revised with new logbook, observer and research information at subsequent working group meetings in February 2011 and May 2011. The final species list in order of priority for stock assessment is as follows:

Blacktip shark complex (Carcharhinus tilstoni and C. limbatusii)

Spot-tail shark (C. sorrah)

Scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini)

Milk shark (Rhizoprionodon acutus)

Australian sharkpnose shark (R. taylori)

Spinner shark (C. brevipinna).

Justification of priority species

More than 20 species of shark are caught in the ECIFFF. The most abundant species in the east coast fisheries from previous research reports (Hyland, 2006, Tobin et al., 2010) are the blacktip shark complex (Carcharhinus tilstoni / limbatus), spot-tail shark (C. sorrah), whitecheek shark (C. dussumieri), spinner shark (C. brevipinna) and the milk shark (Rhizoprionodon acutus). The sharpnose shark (R. taylori) is abundant in net catches from southern Queensland predominantly.

Future assessment to focus on scalloped hammerhead sharks (S. lewini) which are the most widely distributed and abundant of the four hammerhead species in catches in Queensland east coast waters. Great hammerheads (S. mokarran) and winghead sharks (Eusphyrna blochii) occur in lower abundance and smooth hammerheads (S. zygaena) occur mainly south of Fraser Island in southern Queensland.

Milk, sharpnose (Rhizoprionodon acutus and R. taylori) and hardnose sharks (C. macloti) are grouped in the east coast shark and ray logbook (released in 2009 for use by S symbol holders) for fisher identification reasons (they have very similar external features). Hardnose sharks are found mainly north of Cairns and in the Gulf. Milk and sharpnose sharks are productive, fast-growing species. Only one record of the gray sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon oligolinx) has been made by the Fisheries Observer Program between 2009 and mid 2011 and has not been included in the priority list.

Pigeye shark (C. amboinensis) was suggested by Dr Colin Simpfendorfer (JCU) as a species of potential interest for assessment, representing about four per cent of the commercial net catch reported in a CRC Reef study in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA) (Hyland 2006) and also a component of recent research netting catches by JCU scientists. It is grouped with bull sharks in the SR01 logbook because of possible difficulties for fishers separating these species and, like many grouped species in the logbook, requires extrapolation from observer data to allow reported catches to be allocated to species. A review of 2010–11 catch data showed this species group (pigeye and bull sharks) to be among the top five in the net fishery by weight. However, in DEEDI Observer data from 2009–11, bull sharks were three times as abundant in catches as pigeye sharks and in the JCU MTSRF project from 2006–2009, more bull sharks were observed than pigeye sharks.

ii Preliminary genetic studies associated with an FRDC DEEDI JCU shark stock discrimination project (Welch et al. 2011) have shown geographically extensive hybridization along the east coast between two blacktip sharks occurring off northern Australia, Carcharhinus tilstoni and C. limbatus. A comprehensive study of this phenomenon has not yet been undertaken. It has been shown to be impossible to positively identify these species in the field using external morphological features and the previous character of precaudal vertebral counts has also been shown to be unreliable. These species are considered as a single taxonomic unit for future fisheries assessments in this plan.


At a subsequent meeting of the working group in February 2011 when recent east coast shark catch information from the commercial fisheries was considered, spinner shark (C. brevipinna) was found to be an important component of the net and line catch (and also caught in numbers in the Shark Control Program) (Sumpton et al. 2010), particularly off southern Queensland and is now included on the priority list. The relative proportions of the various components of the reported logbook catch are shown in the report Review of management arrangements for the east coast Queensland shark fishery 2011 (DEEDI 2011).

Data collection: 2009 onwards Compulsory daily fisher logbooks completed by those holding shark symbols (including N4 fishers) provide estimated shark catch by weight and numbers by major species/species groups through the Shark and ray SR01 logbook (Appendix 3), supplementing information on soak time, mesh size, net length and drop provided through the NC05 Net Crab logbook (Appendix 4). A few net fishers without S symbols have also provided more detail of the shark species harvested in their NC05 logbooks. NC05 logbooks provide only weights of sharks in the categories of ‘Whaler’, ‘Hammerhead’ and ‘Other’.

Logbooks in the line fishery provide details of number of hooks used but only record effort as days fished. Line fishers with an S symbol are required to provide shark catch details at the species level through the SR01 logbook. Some line fishers do provide more detail of the shark species harvested in their LF04 logbooks (Appendix 5).

As described in the Fisheries Queensland Observer Program plan for the shark component of the ECIFFF (Davies, 2009), observers are collecting detailed information on species composition of both the retained and discarded catch, primarily from the net and line fishers operating under an S symbol. Length frequency information by gender and vertebrae for age determination are also being collected with tissue samples provided to the DEEDI Molecular Fisheries Laboratory in Brisbane for genetic confirmation of species identity and population structure.

The shark catch taken by recreational fishers is being assessed as part of the Statewide Recreational Fishing Survey being undertaken by Fisheries Queensland during 2010–11. Data are being sought at the species level by interviewers as part of this study. Results will be available by mid 2012.

Fisheries Queensland is supporting and collaborating with scientists from AgriScience Queensland, DEEDI and with scientists at JCU, University of Queensland and Griffith University, Gold Coast on various shark and ray research projects being undertaken. Relevant data from these projects will be made available for future DEEDI stock assessment work by arrangement with the data custodians.

Assessment approaches

Risk assessment

Using new life history biology data collected by the MTSRF JCU/QPIF/CSIRO Inshore Fishery project and best available data on current net/line fishery pressure on shark resources from Fisheries Queensland logbook data, a risk assessment was undertaken in early 2010 and a report has been prepared for the MTSRF (Tobin et al. 2010). That project updated work undertaken by Gribble et al. (2005) and provided an alternative view of the relative risks of overfishing to chondrichthyan species in the Great Barrier Reef region posed by 2009 levels of inshore fishing effort.

Recently available biological data have been incorporated into a matrix to ensure Fisheries Queensland has a single location for up-to-date information that can be taken into consideration for future research and when reviewing management arrangements. This matrix has been used to inform the priority list of shark species for more detailed stock assessment and will be available for future risk assessments.


Fishery assessment

Annual status reports produced by Fisheries Queensland document simple trends in catch and effort statistics (total catch, catch rate as kg/100 m net/day, number of operators reporting catch, total days fished) for net and line fishing for the ECIFFF major species or species groups by region including the major shark species.

Summary data collected each year by the Fisheries Observer Program (FOP) are also presented in the annual status reports.

Quantitative stock assessment

A basic assumption of any stock assessment is that Fisheries Queensland has an understanding of the integrity of the stock under assessment. A recently completed FRDC project (Welch et al. 2011) has shown support through genetic studies for a single stock of both the scalloped hammerhead and milk shark along the Queensland east coast. Some regional differences were observed from analysis of the elemental composition of vertebral sections and life history characteristics also showed some latitudinal variation, but neither produced compelling evidence of distinct and consistent population boundaries.

Confidence in species identification will be critical in estimating total catch at the species level in all future stock assessment activity. Information from the FOP remains the primary source for species composition of the commercial harvest, especially in areas of high catch and high fishing effort.

It is proposed that standardised catch rates expressed as kilogram per 100 metre net hour or hook days for priority shark taxa, taking into account spatial catch distribution patterns in this new fishery, will be calculated from logbook data in combination with species composition from FOP information in 2012. Confidence in the data reported by fishers in compulsory daily logbooks will increase with the educational effort being delivered by Fisheries Queensland through various activities including the FOP. It is not considered appropriate by the working group to undertake this analysis until at least three years of data are available from this new fishery. Once these standardization routines have been developed, standardized catch data will be presented in the annual status reports for the ECIFFF.

Direct assessment of exploitation rate (= fishing mortality F) through tagging studies is underway through an FRDC project funded at JCU. It is anticipated that by mid 2013, this will provide initial estimates of fishing mortality from areas of known high effort. The Shark Assessment Working Group is maintaining close consultation with the principal investigator, Dr Andrew Tobin throughout this project.

Dr Carl Walters from the University of Washington, USA, undertook a stock assessment of the blacktip shark complex and spot-tail sharks off northern Australia in July 2011 (with the results to be available later this year). The success or otherwise of the assessment methods used there (deterministic Stock Reduction Analysis) will inform future assessment methods to be applied to east coast shark stocks.

A review of the data from both fishery sources and research projects will be undertaken in 2012 to determine whether alternative biomass dynamic or non-equilibrium age / length structured models can be applied in future stock assessments. Preliminary age data is available for some priority species from various research projects (e.g. Harry et al. 2011) but a program for its routine collection in a manner representative of the fishery for all priority species has not yet been developed.

Assessment timetable

Figure 1 shows information flows and the stock assessment timetable for priority shark species in the ECIFFF. It is anticipated that assessments will be conducted for blacktip (C tilstoni and C limbatus combined), scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini), spot-tail (C sorrah) and milk sharks (Rhizoprionodon acutus) in 2014. These are the taxa for which most biological data exists and together represent nearly 75% of the total harvest from the net fishery in 2010–11 (DEEDI, 2011).


Anticipated outputs from the quantitative stock assessments include:

information on whether the various stocks (species and species complex) are sustainable (harvest levels relative to Bmsy or some other reference point) under current levels of fishing pressure; and

whether the shark Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) is set at an appropriate level taking into account the proportional representation of the priority species assessed. (Note: Fisheries managers would need to take into account also the level of impact on other shark species not assessed specifically and protected species as part of any consideration of changing the TACC and potentially effort being applied in the ECIFFF).

Stock assessment for major species: blacktipcomplex, scalloped hammerhead, spot-tail, milk sharks

Shark and ray logbook SR01

2014

Observer information

incidental catch (weight, line numbers), effort measure

20092010 2011 2012 2013

Commercial fisher daily logbooks

At-sea observations of commercial catch S boats

species catch (numbers and weight), effort measure

species catch (numbers and weight), length composition, effort measure

At-sea observations of commercial line and net catch species catch (numbers and weight), length

composition, effort measure

Statewiderecreational fisher survey 2010-11

incidental catch (numbers and weight), effort measure

Recreational fisher diary records

Research projects : DEEDI in collaboration with JCU, UQ, GU

MTSRF risk assessment

age at length, reproductive capacity, size at maturity, species & length composition

FRDC shark mortality (tagging) project estimated fishing mortality major species

size at maturity, reproductive seasonality, stock boundaries

FRDC stock discrimination project

Net and crab logbook NC05Line fishery logbook LF04

Fisheries Queensland east coast shark assessment

Stock assessment for major species: blacktipcomplex, scalloped hammerhead, spot-tail, milk sharks

Shark and ray logbook SR01

2014

Observer information


20092010 2011 2012 2013



20092010 2011 2012 2013


At-sea observations of commercial catch S boats

species catch (numbers and weight), effort measure

species catch (numbers and weight), length composition, effort measure

At-sea observations of commercial line and net catch species catch (numbers and weight), length

composition, effort measure



















Net and crab logbook NC05Line fishery logbook LF04

Fisheries Queensland east coast shark assessment

Figure 1: Information flow for stock assessments of priority commercial shark species from Queensland east coast fisheries.


Challenges and research needs A key step towards responsible management of shark harvest at sustainable levels is the completion of rigorous stock assessments for the major species. This is needed to confirm that fishing effort at current levels is not resulting in declines of target shark populations. Since 2009, Fisheries Queensland has implemented a range of programs to provide a basis for future assessment (e.g. species-specific logbooks, DEEDI at-sea observers in the net and line fisheries, fisher education) and to ensure public confidence in the outcomes. This plan lays the framework for undertaking stock assessments in the future in a risk based manner based on harvest levels and life history biology.

However there remain issues in relation to the current knowledge that would improve confidence in the outcomes of future assessments. These are being addressed by Fisheries Queensland, in collaboration with the fishing industry where appropriate. Some of these matters can only be addressed when additional resources are available. These include:

Improved identification of the catch by fishers is a fundamental requirement for future species level stock assessments.

In the NC05 logbook, the daily number of sets is not recorded, although soak time is captured. It is understood that some fishers have been reporting average soak time per set when making multiple sets on a day. Information at an individual set level is important for stock assessment purposes. The Northern Territory (NT) Offshore Net and Line logbook provides an example of a data recording system which captures appropriate effort data. Advice from NT Fisheries will be sought as to the quality of data coming from those logbooks when the SR01 and NC05 logbooks are reviewed in 2012.

Adequate information on the species composition of the catch will continue to rely on observer data in the short term and it is important that observer coverage is representative of the fisheries harvesting shark. This requires strong industry support, given the voluntary nature of the FOP.

The current FRDC shark tagging study which continues until 2013 requires strong industry and recreational fisher support (both fishers and processors) to enable comprehensive reporting of recaptured sharks and hence confidence in estimates of mortality obtained from the project.

Improved understanding of shark stock structure is important for future stock assessments. An FRDC funded JCU/DEEDI project to directly address this research need using molecular techniques, vertebral microchemistry and life history characteristics for the scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini) and the milk shark (Rhizoprionodon acutus) was recently completed (Welch et al. 2011). Work planned for blacktip sharks (Carcharinus tilstoni and C. limbatus) awaits future (currently unfunded) comprehensive investigation of the hybridization apparently occurring widely between the species off the Queensland east coast. Fisheries Queensland’s FOP continues to collect tissue samples to support a future study.

The development of a common database/meta database of shark research and monitoring data for Queensland needs to be discussed among other research providers and DEEDI (DEEDI has implemented a data repository for its own research and monitoring data). This will be discussed at future Shark Assessment Working Group meetings.

Assessment to be undertaken by Vic Peddemors New South Wales (NSW) Fisheries in an FRDC funded project to commence in 2011 is planned to focus on sandbar (Carcharhinus plumbeus) and dusky whalers (C. obscurus). Although both these species have low representation in Queensland commercial catches, this study may also consider spinner sharks that are a major component of the southern Queensland shark catch. Communication and any potential for collaboration with this project will be established by the Shark Assessment Working Group.


There remains limited information on the movements of female scalloped hammerhead sharks between feeding grounds and the apparent inshore pupping grounds. It is important to understand the spatial dynamics of this species to ensure all sources of mortality (e.g. possible pressure from offshore tuna and billfish fishing) are taken into account in future stock assessment.

References Davies, J. (2009) Observer Program for S Symbol Holders, East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery. Unpublished report, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Brisbane 21 pp.

Welch, D., Ovenden, J., Simpfendorfer, C., Tobin, A., Morgan, J.A.T., Street, R., White, J., Harry, A., Schroeder, R., and W.G. Macbeth (2011) Stock structure of exploited shark species in north eastern Australia. Report to the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, Project 2007/35. Fishing and Fisheries Research Centre Technical Report No. 12, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia, 130 p.

Gribble, N.,Whybird, O., Williams, L., and R. Garrett (2005) Fisheriey assessment update 1988-2003: Queensland east coast shark. Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Queensland QI04070, 25 p.

Gunn, J. S., Meere, F. and Stevens, J.D. (2008) Independent Review Proposed Management Arrangements for Queensland’s East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery. Unpublished report to the Hon Peter Garrett MP, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts. 110 p.

Harry A.V., Macbeth W.G., Gutteridge A.N., and Simpfendorfer C.A. (2011) The life histories of endangered hammerhead sharks (Carcharhiniformes, Sphyrnidae) from the east coast of Australia. Journal of Fish Biology 78, 2026-2051.

Harry A.V., Simpfendorfer C.A., and Tobin A.J. (2010) Improving age, growth, and maturity estimates for aseasonally reproducing chondrichthyans. Fisheries Research 106, 393-403.

Harry A.V., Tobin A.J., Simpfendorfer C., Welch D.J., Mapleston A., White J,, Williams A.J,. and Stapley, J. (2011) Evaluating catch and mitigating risk in a multi-species, tropical, inshore shark fishery within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Marine and Freshwater Research 62, 710-721.

Hyland, S. (2006) Coastal fisheries resource monitoring in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Task B.4.5 Final Project Report. Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Cairns, 94 p.

Knip D.M., Heupel M.R., Simpfendorfer C.A., Tobin A.J., and Moloney J. (2010) Ontogenetic shifts in movement and habitat use of juvenile pigeye sharks Carcharhinus amboinensis in a tropical nearshore region. Marine Ecology-Progress Series 425, 233-246.

Macbeth W.G., Geraghty P.T., Peddemors V.M., and Gray C.A. (2009) 'Observer-based study of targeted commercial fishing for large shark species in waters off northern New South Wales.' Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre of Excellence, Cronulla, NSW.

Salini, J., McAuley, R., Blaber, S., Buckworth, R., Chidlow, J., Gribble, N., Ovenden, J., Peverell, S., Pillans, R., Stevens, J., Stobutzki, I., Tarca, C. and Walker, T., (2007) Northern Australian Sharks and Rays: The Sustainability of Target and Bycatch Species, Phase 2, Project No. 2002/064, Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Cleveland, Australia.

Simpfendorfer C.A. (1992b) Reproductive strategy of the Australian sharpnose shark, Rhizoprionodon taylori, (Elasmobranchii, Carcharhinidae), from Cleveland Bay, Northern Queensland Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 43, 67-75.

Simpfendorfer C.A. (1993) Age and growth of the Australian sharpnose shark, Rhizoprionodon taylori, from north Queensland, Australia. Environmental Biology of Fishes 36, 233-241.

Simpfendorfer C.A., McAuley R.B., Chidlow J., and Unsworth P (2002) Validated age and growth of the dusky shark, Carcharhinus obscurus, from Western Australian waters. Marine and Freshwater Research 53, 567-573.

DEEDI (2011) Review of management arrangements for the east coast Queensland shark fishery 2011. Unpublished report to the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population & Communities. Fisheries Queensland, DEEDI, Brisbane 9 pp.


Sumpton W., Lane B., and Ham T. (2010) Characteristics of the biology and distribution of the spinner shark (Carcharhinus brevipinna) in Queensland, Australia based on data collected from the Shark Control Program. Asian Fisheries Science 23, 340-354.

Tobin A.J., Simpfendorfer, C.A., Mapleston, A., Currey, L., Harry, A. V., Welch, D.J., Ballagh, A.C., Chin, A., Szczenski, N., Schlaff, A., White, J. and Moore, B. (2010) 'A quantitative ecological risk assessment of sharks and finfish of Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area inshore waters: A tool for fisheries and marine park managers: Relative risk of species and potential mitigation strategies for the east coast inshore fin fish fishery.' Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility, Cairns. 44pp.

Tobin, A. J., Simpfendorfer, C.A., Harry, A. V., Welch, D.J., Ballagh, A.C., Chin, A., Szczenski, N., Schlaff, A., White, J., and Mapleston, A. (2007) 'Defining life history traits of fishery targeted elasmobranchs and finfish within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area: Critical information for sustainable management.' Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility, Cairns.


Appendix 1

Fisheries Queensland Shark Assessment Working Group

Members as at July 2011:

Dr Rik Buckworth—Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Brisbane

Dr Colin Simpfendorfer—Director, Fishing and Fisheries Research Centre, James Cook University (JCU), Townsville

Michael O'Neill—Principal Fisheries Scientist, Sustainable Fisheries unit, Animal Science, AgriScience Queensland, DEEDI, Nambour

Tara Smith—Fisheries Management Officer, Fisheries Queensland, DEEDI, Brisbane

Dr Julia Davies—Senior Fisheries Resource Officer, Assessment & Monitoring unit, Fisheries Queensland, DEEDI, Brisbane

Dr Malcolm Dunning—(Convenor) Principal Fisheries Scientist, Assessment & Monitoring unit, Fisheries Queensland, DEEDI, Brisbane


Appendix 2 Example species from the working spreadsheet: Characteristics of shark and ray species encountered in Queensland fisheries (Malcolm Dunning - custodian).

Group Sharks Sharks Sharks SharksFamily Carcharhinidae Carcharhinidae Carcharhinidae CarcharhinidaeCommon Family Name Whaler Sharks Whaler Sharks Whaler Sharks Whaler Sharks

Species Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos Carcharhinus amboinensis Carcharhinus brevipinna Carcharhinus dussumieri Common Name Grey reef shark Pig-eye shark Spinner shark Whitecheek sharkCAAB Code 37018030 37018026 37018023 37018009Current Projects No No Yes No

Best ContactAndrew Tobin, Colin

SimpfendorferBree Tillett, Danielle Knip,

Michelle HeupelPascal Gerraghty, Adrian Gutteridge, Andrew Tobin

Andrew Tobin, Colin Simpfendorfer

Local Biological Info. Northern Australia inc. Gulf of

CarpentariaNorthern Territory and Gulf of

Carpentaria

Reproductive info. from Northern NSW and QSCP.

Age data from TaiwanNorthern Australia inc. Gulf

of Carpentaria

Known/likely QLD DistributionNorthern Australia and

GBRWHA

Widespread. Southern QLD, Moreton Bay, Hervey Bay,

throughout the GBRWHA and GoC

Widespread. Southern QLD, Moreton Bay, Hervey

Bay, throughout the GBRWHA and GoC

Within the GBRWHA and northern QLD and GoC

Maximum TL (cm) 255 280 300 90Max Size-at-maturity (cm) Females 140 215 235 70Max Size-at-maturity (cm) Males 140 208 220 70Est. size-at-birth (cm) 63 65 77 40Est. Age-at-maturity (years) Female 11 13 21 -Max Age (years) Females - 30 10 -Est. Age-at-maturity (years) Male 9 12 17 -Max Age (years) Males - 26 10 -Max Number of Pups/Eggs 3 13 16 3Mean Number of Pups 2 9 9.5 2

Reproductive CommentsSeasonal, gestation 12-14

months Parturition Nov-Dec

Summer breeding and parturition, gestation 10-12

monthsAnnual, aseasonal reproductive cycle

Age and Growth comments - Slow growing, long lived Slow growing, long lived -Reported within QLD Fisheries Yes Yes Yes YesTrawl - Yes Yes YesLine - - - -Gill Net Yes Yes Yes YesImportance for Future Fisheries Research (0-3) 1 2 3 2Importance for Future Scientific Research (0-3) 0 2 3 2Notes This species has limited take

legislation within the ECIFFFEast-coast population

genetically separate to NT. Morphologically similar to bull

sharks. Identified as at moderate risk to exploitation within the ECIFFF from the

GBRWHA

Common within southern QLD and may share stock with northern NSW. High catches in the southern

ECIFFF and identified as bycatch from the ECTF and

NPF. Designated as low risk within the EC

Caught in moderate numbers within the ECIFFF.

Age and growth data required. Identified as at low risk to exploitation within the ECIFFF from the GBRWHA


Appendix 3 Fisheries Queensland Shark and Ray Logbook SR01.


Appendix 4 Fisheries Queensland East Coast Net and Crab Logbook NC05.



Appendix 5 Fisheries Queensland Line fishery Logbook LF04.

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