Theme 1 - Demonstrating Sustainability: Evidence-Based and Low Risk Management for Shark-Associated Fisheries

Since 1992, school shark stocks were assessed as overfished in Australia and has been ever since. The most recent stock production of school sharks was estimated between 9–14% of original levels leading school sharks to be considered seriously overfished and listed as Conservation Dependent under the EPBC Act 1999. Under such listing, a stock rebuilding strategy policy had to be developed and needs to be implemented as conditions of the SESSF Wildlife Trade Operation (WTO) accreditation. The objectives of this rebuilding strategy states that school shark stocks have to recover to the limit reference biomass level within a biologically reasonable timeframe. The TAC for incidental take of the species was progressively reduced to well below the sustainable yield estimated by the SharkRAG. Although this reduction of TAC was considered to be sufficient, current models suggest school shark stocks will not rebuild within the period required under the Rebuilding Strategy. This lack of recovery is in apparent disagreement with catch observations by fishers and SharkRAG industry members. However, management of the stock aimed at reducing catch levels has altered the fishing pattern so that the traditional CPUE index of abundance can no longer be relied on as an index of stock size for school shark. The model is therefore unable to update current assumptions regarding the productivity of the stock. If the model is in error regarding such productivity, so that rebuilding is occurring at a faster or slower rate than predicted, such trends will not be identified. Such uncertainty associated with the school shark assessment has to a significant extent paralysed SE MAC consideration of management arrangements for this species. A valid index of abundance that will reveal current trends in stock status is required.