Charlie Huveneers

The Ecology and Biology of Wobbegongs in New South Wales, Australia Charlie Huveneers

In New South Wales (NSW), Australia, wobbegong sharks have been commercially targeted by the Ocean Trap and Line Fishery since 1991. A catch decrease of ca. 50% in a decade lead to concern over the sustainability of the fishery and to wobbegongs being listed as Vulnerable in NSW under the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List assessment. The aim of this work was to investigate wobbegong biology and ecology in relation to its fishery to provide essential data and information for sustainable management of the wobbegong fishery. Biological data was obtained from wobbegongs collected from commercial fishing boats, using setlines and lobster pots and by scuba diving. The results presented in this book provide information on the taxonomy, distribution and relative abundance, diet, reproduction, and age and growth of these species and include the re-discovery of a wobbegong species in New South Wales.