Jenny Edwards

Response to Australia's Shark Conservation Plan (Shark-plan 2)

Shark fishing is not a sustainable industry as evidence by declining catches due to the slow birth rates of sharks and rays, beach netting and the huge fishing pressure.  If it were not for the high prices for shark fins the industry would not even be economically viable in the short term and will definitely not be so in the long term when sharks are even less numerous. The sale of "by-products" of shark fishing should be banned as the sale only prolongs an unsustainable industry.
 
If the government's promises to protect Australia's biodiversity are genuine then Australia must join other nations in banning shark fishing in Australian waters and end the trade of all shark products. The situation for sharks world wide is dire. We need to ban the import of shark products to avoid contributing to unregulated fishing elsewhere. We should also be supporting efforts to list threatened species and encourage their international protection.
 
Wherever possible, critical shark habitats need to be identified and protected by no take marine reserves. This may not be possible for some pelagic species but in cases like grey nurse sharks there is no excuse. They need at least 1500m exclusion zones around their critical habitats.
 
Mrs J Edwards