VRFish

Ian Thompson
Executive Manager
Sustainable Resource Management Division
GPO Box 858
Canberra, ACT 2601

Email: Sharkplan 2

14 July 2011

Dear Ian,

RE: Australia's Draft 2011 National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the 2011 Australian draft National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks (Shark-plan 2).

Although Shark-plan 2 is largely generic in its management recommendations, VRFish would like to remind the Government of its commitments to the mako shark fishery and implement the strategies to work with stakeholders to improve the data collection for mako sharks.

VRFish is hopeful that CSIRO Barry Bruce’s FRDC Project 2011/045 “Tactical Research Fund: Shark futures – a synthesis of available data on mako and porbeagle sharks in Australasian waters - current status and future directions” will be supported, and the potential for workshop to be conducted to address the data issues pertaining to these species are addressed.

Recreational fishers are keen to see an improvement to the management especially data collection of sharks in Australian waters.

Kind regards,

[signed]

Christopher Collins
Executive Officer