THE Nature Coast Marine Group has just launched a video highlighting its research into grey nurse sharks, which includes footage of the sharks aggregating off Dalmeny.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The eight-minute video shows close encounters with groups of grey nurse sharks at Dalmeny and includes still photos from other locations from Brush Island near Bawley Point to Montague Island.
The Youtube link is http://youtu.be/cnxZw7gElT4
Research project coordinator Bill Barker said that until the Nature Coast Marine Group launched this program, little research had been done in recent years on sharks visiting local waters.
Between November 2012 and May this year, NCMG divers did around 150 dives as part of the survey program, recording numbers, sizes and the sex of the sharks.
They also took over 150 photos, which are used to enable the identification of individual sharks.
The research is part of a wider project on biodiversity in the Batemans Marine Park supported by a Community Action Grant under the Australian Government’s “Caring for our Country” program.
Mr Barker said that among the important preliminary conclusions of the project was that grey nurse sharks are still visiting the recognized aggregation sites of Montague Island and the Tollgate Islands, though in fairly small numbers.
He added that the sharks also seem to be aggregating in somewhat larger numbers at inshore sites, notably at Dalmeny.
“Most of the sharks appeared to be in good condition,” Mr Barker said. “Though sadly, we found two that were carrying fishing hooks. This is a major problem because hooks can cause infection and other serious problems that can kill sharks.”
Grey nurse sharks are classified as “critically endangered”, and according to the NSW Fisheries Scientific Committee, this means that they face an extremely high risk of extinction in the immediate future.
A number of areas, including Montague Island and the Tollgates are protected, but the sharks use many other locations that are not protected.
“It can be a difficult issue, given that the sharks range virtually over the length of the NSW coast and into southern Queensland,” Mr Barker said.
“But to ensure the survival of the species, governments and stakeholders need to be looking for ways to protect the sharks more effectively. Hopefully, the video will promote awareness and better understanding.”
For more on the Nature Coast Marine Group and its activities, visit its website at www.ncmg.org.au or search for Nature Coast Marine Group on Facebook.
