Defining the Connectivity of Australia's Hammerhead Sharks

Home , Great hammerhead, Smooth hammerhead

Defining the connectivity of Australia’s hammerhead sharks

Defining the boundaries of hammerhead shark populations will bring scientists closer to assessing the status of these unique and susceptible species.

Hammerhead sharks are known to population status of hammerhead Three of Australia’s four hammerhead swim large distances, including across sharks in Australian waters. species ─ scalloped (Sphyrna lewini), the open ocean. Sharks from Australia great (Sphyrna mokarran) and smooth The project is part of the National may therefore mix with sharks from (Sphyrna zygaena) hammerheads ─ are Environmental Science Programme Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and being considered for listing under the (NESP) Marine Biodiversity Hub, an islands of the Pacific. Australian Government’s Environment Australian Government initiative that Protection and Biodiversity Understanding these connections is aims to improve the knowledge of key Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). central to providing information on the marine species and ecosystems to status of hammerhead shark underpin their management and Under International Union for populations to support Australian and protection. Conservation of Nature Red List international conservation and Criteria, scalloped and great management initiatives. National and global hammerheads are listed as Endangered conservation status globally, the smooth hammerhead is A project led by the Australian Institute listed as Vulnerable, and the fourth of Marine Science will use tagging and Hammerhead sharks are highly Australian resident, the winghead genetic sampling to see how susceptible to capture due to their hammerhead (Eusphyra blochii), is Near hammerhead shark populations are uniquely shaped head. Their fins are Threatened. connected. The findings will be prized for shark fin soup, and even if combined with biological, ecological they are released intact, their rates of Scalloped, great and smooth and fisheries data to assess the survival are low. hammerhead sharks were added to the potential stock structure and Convention in International Trade in

ABOVE: A free-swimming great hammerhead shark fitted with an identification tag. Image: Andrew Chin, James Cook University

www.nespmarine.edu.au

Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix II The project will also explore the in March 2013. As such, their inter- cultural value, traditional use and national trade requires documentation Indigenous knowledge of hammerhead about the sustainability of their sharks in Queensland and Torres Strait harvest. Australia allows limited where these species are an iconic international trade in these CITES-listed totem animal. Indigenous knowledge species. may be used where culturally and Scalloped and great hammerheads ethically appropriate to help identify were added to Appendix II of the important habitats. international Convention on the Supporting national and Conservation of Migratory Species of international conservation Wild Animals in December 2014. This obliges member nations to work Results of the project will help to guide together to address conservation effective conservation management by issues. (The Australian Government has contributing to: taken a reservation on this listing at the • the National Plan of Action for present time to ensure fishers are not sharks and considerations of species prosecuted for unintentional capture.) listings under the EPBC Act; Tagging, genetic and cultural • Australia’s actions and reporting research obligations required under the Convention on Migratory Species; The NESP research project will collect • shark management plans and tissue samples collected from scalloped policies developed by and great hammerheads in Commonwealth and state agencies, Queensland, the Northern Territory, and commercial and recreational Western Australia, Indonesia, Papua fisheries; New Guinea, Hawaii and other Pacific • revisions of hammerhead listings islands. The tissue samples will be used under CITES; to assess genetic connectivity across • species protection policies these regions. developed by the Great Barrier Reef A great hammerhead shark captured in Identification tags, and satellite tags Marine Park Authority; and the Great Barrier Reef for satellite programmed to release and transmit • assessments of Australian fisheries tracking. Image: Fernanda de Faria, their location after a set time period, for Wildlife Trade Operation James Cook University will be used to track the sharks’ certification. monthly and yearly movements.

Further information The NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub is funded by the Australian Government’s National Dr Michelle Heupel Environmental Science Programme. Our goal is to assist decision-makers to understand, manage Australian Institute of Marine Science and conserve Australia’s environment by funding world-class biodiversity science. T +61 7 4753 4205 E [email protected]