Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2013L01506:reg:2013:p21
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2013L01506
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 2013 (pt 21/32)
Character Range: 93338–96328

in Australian waters are higher in the South-west Marine Region than in any other region, and are not well correlated with fishing effort. Fishing activities along the west coast of Western Australia (Shark Bay to Bunbury) and in the Great Australian Bight appear to have significantly higher interactions with white sharks than in other areas, which indicates that these areas may be particularly important for the species.

Given this recovery plan focuses on removing threats from white shark habitats, it is also likely to have positive implications for a diversity of non-target native species that occur within the same habitats as this species.

13 Social and economic considerations

13.1 Commercial and recreational fishing

White sharks have been fished throughout their range in the past and, although there is no legal directed catch of white sharks, incidental and illegal catch remains a major threat to the species. The actions outlined in this recovery plan in relation to commercial fishing focus on improving reporting mechanisms for incidental take and other interactions with white sharks, including potentially an increase in observation coverage. Implementation of these actions is expected to have a minimal degree of economic impact on commercial fisheries.

Recreational fishers have generally been supportive of measures designed to ensure their sport is sustainable. However, recreational line fishing is still considered to be a threat to the white shark. The actions outlined in this recovery plan focus on ensuring compliance with reporting requirements and ensuring adequate reporting mechanisms are in place to assess the impact of recreational fishing on this species. Implementation of these actions will have minimal economic impact on recreational fishers.

13.2 Shark control programs

Shark control (bather protection) activities take place at popular beaches in Queensland
and New South Wales and at the time of printing are being considered in Western Australia. Shark-control programs are expensive in that the equipment deployed requires regular
boat-based maintenance, and they also incur associated environmental costs. Catches are not confined to dangerous shark species, but include species that pose little threat to human safety (Cliff & Dudley, 2011). The trialling of non-lethal methods to deter sharks is included as an objective of this recovery plan and may provide a sustainable solution to the dual issues of white shark conservation and human safety.

13.3 Ecotourism

In South Australia, cage diving with white sharks is an iconic ecotourism experience.
White shark tourism has been conducted in South Australian waters since the 1970s and
has been confined to the Neptune Islands Conservation Park since 2002. The white shark is listed as a protected species under the Fisheries Management (General) Regulations 2007 providing full protection for this species in South Australian waters (DENR, 2012).

White sharks are of