The report suggests that anglers are doing
the right thing and the majority of shark
deaths occur after they have been
released.
Image: iStockphoto
A newly-published study has investigated whether recreational fishing could be affecting shark and ray populations in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
The study was conducted by Ann-Maree Lynch as part of her Honours research project through the Fishing and Fisheries Research Centre at James Cook University (JCU), and was jointly funded by JCU and the Australian Government’s Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF).
According to Dr Steve Sutton, a co-author of the study, there are growing concerns internationally over the decline of shark and ray populations, and the implications of these declines for marine ecosystems.
“Commercial fishing has traditionally been seen as a larger threat to sharks and rays than recreational fishing. However, with approximately 180,000 active recreational fishers living adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, and an additional 570,000 fishers state-wide, there is also the potential for recreational fishing to have a significant impact,” explained Dr Sutton.
The study involved a self-reporting survey of 309 recreational fishers along the Queensland coastline to examine the recreational catch and harvest of sharks and rays, and to explore recreational fishers’ handling behaviour and attitudes. Key findings of the survey included:
- Sharks and rays represented 6 per cent of the total catch (including released catch), and 0.8 per cent of fishers’ total harvest (i.e. retained catch).
- The majority of sharks and rays caught were released primarily because they were perceived as being inedible.
- Recreational fishers reported that their handling and release behaviour was largely consistent with ‘best practice’ guidelines, with the exception of the types of hooks used.
- Most fishers had positive attitudes towards sharks and rays, placing high importance on releasing them in good condition (86 per cent), high value on their existence (84 per cent) and relatively low value on catching them (63 per cent).
The results suggest that most shark and ray mortality due to recreational fishing in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park occurs post-release.
“Future research should be targeted at obtaining better estimates of the mortality rates of particular species once they have been caught and released, as well as an understanding of how post-release survival can be increased by changing fishing techniques or behaviours.
“We also need to develop more effective methods of engaging fishers in the conservation of sharks and rays,” said Dr Sutton.
Sheriden Morris, Managing Director of the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre in Cairns, which administers the MTSRF, said that the results underlined the importance of protecting our more vulnerable species of sharks.
“While the results of this study are encouraging, because they indicate that many recreational fishers are aware of the need to release sharks and rays in a good condition, there’s still work to do before we can be really confident about the sustainability of the Great Barrier Reef’s shark populations,” she said.
The study has been published in the international scientific journal Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems.
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