The State Government of South Australia has introduced new rules for shark and ray fishing aimed at protecting vulnerable species from overfishing and preventing inhumane treatment. The changes were recommended by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) following consultation with various key stakeholders including those in recreational fishing and conservation, after concerns were raised by the community about the treatment of sharks and rays incidentally caught throughout the state.
The government said there have been rare instances of deliberate mutilation.
“Sharks and rays play an important role in our aquatic ecosystem and as such are of high conservation concern. The ethical and humane treatment of sharks and rays is vital to their survival and conservation and of interest to the broader community,” said Clare Scriven, Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development
“We have heard the concerns raised by stakeholders and the broader community about the risk of unsustainable fishing practices and mishandling of incidentally caught sharks and rays and these legislative amendments will ensure greater protections are place.”
The rules include
- Prohibition against taking critically endangered or critically endangered shark and ray species including Whitefin Swellshark, Oceanic Whitetip Shark, Green Sawfish, Greeneye Spurdog, Southern Dogfish, Basking Shark, Grey Nurse Shark and Gray Skate Stingrays.
- A combined bag limit of one for recreational fishers taking Common Thresher, Shortfin Mako, Melbourne Skate, Broadnose Sevengill Shark, Hammerhead Shark, Smooth Stingray, Black Stingray, Bigeye Thresher, Bronze Whaler, Dusky Whaler, and School Shark.
- A combined bag limit of two for recreational fishers taking other shark and ray species
- Recreational fishers will be subject to maximum size limits for five ray species (Southern Eagle Ray, Smooth Stingray, Black Stingray, Southern Fiddler Ray and Western Shovelnose Ray), and
- Both commercial and recreational fishers will be prohibited from the intentional damage and mutilation of non-noxious aquatic resources that aren’t being retained.
The prohibition on taking White Shark, as a protected species, remains, as do existing maximum hook and metropolitan shark fishing restrictions.
