Shark fishing industry growth in NSW fuelled by shark fin prices

From an article in the Sun Herald today:

A DRAMATIC increase in shark fishing, fuelled by the lucrative shark fin market, is threatening already endangered species along the NSW coast.

Long-line fishing methods used by shark fishermen are believed to be responsible for indiscriminate shark catches environment groups say are endangering populations of grey nurse sharks, classified as critically endangered, and the vulnerable great white shark.

This has been compounded by the growing number of fishermen along the east coast who are turning to shark fishing, seen as a more lucrative area of the often difficult fishing industry.

Shark fishers can earn as much as $100 a kilogram for the fins which are in demand on the Asian market where they become shark-fin soup, a prized delicacy.

An increasing number of commercial fishing boats have begun operating out of the North Coast town of Coffs Harbour during recent months using legal fishing practices to catch large numbers of sharks but prompting fears from locals and the National Parks Association that the shark populations in the area are being put under serious pressure.

Coffs Harbour Fishermen's Co-operative employee Scott Budden, who weighs and counts much of the fish that is landed at the jetty, said several local operators had converted their boats so they could also take part.

"They are diversifying into the shark market because of the hardship of the industry," he said.

But the intensive shark fishing now taking place just off Coffs Harbour has prompted calls for greater regulation of the booming industry that currently allows fishers to bring in one tonne of shark per boat each day.

The National Parks Association, a non-government conservation group, is among those insisting that something needs to be done.

"They are catching an awful lot of sharks and it is completely unsustainable," association marine program manager Nicky Hammond said. She said they had been informed of the heavy shark fishing in Coffs Harbour and that protected grey nurse sharks had been caught in the process.

"There are less than 500 grey nurse sharks left on the east coast of Australia," she said. "From our understanding [the activities] are very unsustainable."

There are fines of up to $220,000 imposed by the NSW Department of Primary Industries on fishers who are found to have harmed a threatened species.

The growth in the shark industry has sparked tension with other types of fishermen.

One Coffs Harbour fisherman, who asked not to be named, said the kilometres-long lines used by shark fishers were often laid in regions where prawn trawlers conduct their work leading to regular net and line entanglements.

"Often we can't go [to trawl] where we want to," he said.

He said many shark fishers had begun using a fishing method where they laid the line close to the ocean floor to boost catchment numbers. He said this is where many of the threatened shark species were also being caught.

For the full story go to:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/fears-for-shark-species-as-fin-market-grows/2007/08/11/1186530673607.html

Contributed by Tim Hochgrebe added 2007-08-11