Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2013L01506:reg:2013:p3
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2013L01506
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 2013 (pt 3/32)
Character Range: 6973–9927

Australia; and protected in the coastal waters of New South Wales and Queensland with exemptions made for shark control measures for bather protection (e.g. beach meshing and/or drumlining) in these two states. In some circumstances, the destruction of individual sharks is also authorised under Western Australia's Fish Resources Management Act 1994.

The principal threats and likely contributors to the lack of white shark recovery in Australia are mortality resulting from the accidental or illegal (i.e. targeted) capture by commercial and recreational fishers and shark control activities. Other potential threats to the species include the impacts of illegal trade in white shark products, ecosystem effects as a result of habitat modification and climate change (including changes in sea temperature, ocean currents and acidification) and ecotourism, including cage diving.

This recovery plan sets out the research and management actions necessary to stop the decline of, and support the recovery of, the white shark in Australian waters. The overarching objective of this recovery plan is to assist the recovery of the white shark in the wild throughout its range in Australian waters with a view to:
   * improving the population status, leading to future removal of the white shark from the threatened species list of the EPBC Act
   * ensuring that anthropogenic activities do not hinder recovery in the near future,
     or impact on the conservation status of the species in the future.

An accompanying issues paper has also been developed to provide background information on the biology, population status and threats to the white shark. Both the issues paper and the recovery plan can be found at: www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/recovery-list-common.html

2 Background

2.1 Species description and distribution
in Australian waters

The white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), also known as the great white shark or the
white pointer, is a close relative of the mako and porbeagle sharks in the family Lamnidae
(Last & Stephens, 2009). White sharks are long-lived, living for 30 years or more (Bruce, 2008), and are found throughout temperate and sub-tropical regions in the northern and southern hemispheres (Last & Stephens, 2009).

In Australia, the white shark has a range extending from central Queensland, around the southern coastline, and up to the North West Cape in Western Australia (Last & Stephens, 2009; Appendix 1). The white shark is primarily an inhabitant of continental and insular shelf waters but is also known to inhabit the open ocean. It often occurs close inshore near the
surf-line, and may move into shallow bays.

The species is also commonly found in inshore waters in the vicinity of islands, and often
near seal colonies (Malcolm et al., 2001). These areas include locations such as the Neptune Islands off the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia; Wilsons Promontory, Victoria (particularly