Sharks and Australian Fisheries
Sharks and Australian Fisheries
The Fishing industry is the 5th largest food producing industry in Australia. Annually it puts $2.2 billion dollars into our economy each year (afma.gov, 2013). Australians consume approximately 16kg of fish and seafood per person per year. This amounts to a lot of fish needed to sustain such a demanding population. Therefore the most important issue for fisheries in Australia is to ensure the ecological sustainability of fish stocks in the long term so that ecosystems that are fished remain diverse and healthy (Moffat, Marine Sciences for Australian Students, 2003). In this report I will be focussing heavily on the fishing of shark species in the area of Western Australia.
Most techniques for commercial shark fishing uses the methods of Long Lining, Gillnetting and Trawling (sustrainableseafood.org, 2013). All three methods can potentially cause a catastrophic impact on the environment and the surrounding ecosystems. Long Lining uses a central line that can extend to a maximum of 80km with smaller lines and hooks with bait evenly descending beneath the surface of the water. This method results in a high amount of by-catch while also snaring dolphins, seals and seabirds in the line (monterybayaquarium.org, 2012). Gillnetting is the most frequently used method of catching sharks in Western Australia. This method uses curtains of net suspended in the water with floats and weights which are virtually invisible to fish, sharks and most other marine life. Gillnets have a larger amount of by-catch than Long Lining as there is a larger surface area for marine life to be snared in which often results is turtles, dolphins and seals perishing from drowning as they cannot reach the surface for air (monterybayaquarium.org, 2012). Trawling is the third method most used in the capture of sharks. Trawling involves dragging nets which can be the size of football fields along the ocean floor or midway between the floor and the surface. Sea floor
The Fishing industry is the 5th largest food producing industry in Australia. Annually it puts $2.2 billion dollars into our economy each year (afma.gov, 2013). Australians consume approximately 16kg of fish and seafood per person per year. This amounts to a lot of fish needed to sustain such a demanding population. Therefore the most important issue for fisheries in Australia is to ensure the ecological sustainability of fish stocks in the long term so that ecosystems that are fished remain diverse and healthy (Moffat, Marine Sciences for Australian Students, 2003). In this report I will be focussing heavily on the fishing of shark species in the area of Western Australia.
Most techniques for commercial shark fishing uses the methods of Long Lining, Gillnetting and Trawling (sustrainableseafood.org, 2013). All three methods can potentially cause a catastrophic impact on the environment and the surrounding ecosystems. Long Lining uses a central line that can extend to a maximum of 80km with smaller lines and hooks with bait evenly descending beneath the surface of the water. This method results in a high amount of by-catch while also snaring dolphins, seals and seabirds in the line (monterybayaquarium.org, 2012). Gillnetting is the most frequently used method of catching sharks in Western Australia. This method uses curtains of net suspended in the water with floats and weights which are virtually invisible to fish, sharks and most other marine life. Gillnets have a larger amount of by-catch than Long Lining as there is a larger surface area for marine life to be snared in which often results is turtles, dolphins and seals perishing from drowning as they cannot reach the surface for air (monterybayaquarium.org, 2012). Trawling is the third method most used in the capture of sharks. Trawling involves dragging nets which can be the size of football fields along the ocean floor or midway between the floor and the surface. Sea floor