Sharks ‘endangered’

Alex de Vos
Two sharks at the top of the region’s gamefishing menu could end up on an international list of animals facing extinction.
Reports this week said International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) would list the short-fin mako and common thresher sharks as endangered in October. The reports said the sharks’ endangered listings could lead to world-wide fishing bans.
However, Federal Government said the Commonwealth would have to back up the IUCN with a listing of both sharks as endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to outlaw fishing for the species.
“At this time, neither the short-fin mako nor the common thresher species have been nominated for listing under the EPBC Act,” a Government spokesperson told the Independent yesterday.
Anglers were allowed to fish for the great white shark before it was listed as vulnerable under the APBC Act in 1996.
The potential mako and thresher IUCN listings shocked anglers, who rated the sharks among the top gamefishing species in the region.
Independent fishing writer Andy Smith said banning anglers from targeting the sharks would have “quite an impact”.
“Particularly the mako sharks – they’re regularly caught right through the region during the summer months,” Mr Smith said.
Barwon Heads Fishing Charters’ Steve Rogers was “shocked” to hear either shark could end up listed as endangered.
“It’s interesting to even consider it,” Mr Rogers said.
However, he expected his business to survive any listings.
“There are plenty of other fish to take,” he said.