Management Concern: Low    

Adequacy of Information: Good

Summary extracts from Outlook Report 2009

• While there is little detailed information about populations for most of the 134 species of sharks and rays recorded in the Great Barrier Reef, some species are known to have declined significantly.
  
• Much of the research activity on the Great Barrier Reef is confined to areas surrounding the six island research stations. With ongoing management, any impacts of research are likely to be small and localised in the immediate area of study.

What do we know?

Relevant pages from Outlook Online include:

• Fish diversity in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
  
• State of the Great Barrier Reef Report: sharks and rays [3.1MB]
  
• Risk assessment of northern Australia sharks and rays
  
• Conservation assessment of Glyphis sp. A (speartooth shark), Glyphis sp. C (northern river shark), Pristis microdon (freshwater sawfish) and Pristis zijsron (green sawfish)
  
• Description of Glyphis species
• Sharks and Sawfish listed as 'threatened' under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
  
• Grey nurse shark population on the east coast of Australia
  
• White sharks
  
• White Sharks in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
  
• Decline in whale shark size and abundance 

Existing policies and management actions

• Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Position Statement on Sharks and Rays in the East Coast Inshore Finfish Fishery [215KB]
  
• Policy on Managing Activities That Include the Direct Take of a Protected Species From the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
• The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Zoning Plan
  
• National Shark Recovery Group
  
• Shark-plan Implementation Review Committee 
• Scientific Research Stations
• Major research and information programs
• Research Permits
  

Future management requirements

• Biodiversity strategy
• Development of a GBRMPA position statement on sharks
• Development of Shark-plan II by Shark-plan Implementation Review Committee
• Draft Queensland Coastal Management Plan 

Defined research questions

• There are currently no defined research questions for this topic. Research questions will be developed, giving priority to interactions/issues that are of most concern to management.

Related information

• Current Research and Monitoring