Brian Williams, www.news.com.au 15 Jan 09;
CONSERVATIONISTS have called for an end to shark fishing in Queensland - despite recent attacks on swimmers and surfers along Australia's eastern coast.
Four other species are being considered for protection because fishing has reduced numbers so severely.
In the last weeks sharks attacks have occurred at Fingal's Head, in northern NSW, Wollongong and Tasmania.
NSW Nature Conservation Council executive director Cate Faehrmann said yesterday that shark fin exports to Asia from Queensland had increased fourfold in the four years to 2004.
"Most of these were sourced from a fishery in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, of all places," Ms Faehrmann said.
"The Federal Environment Minister (Peter Garrett) is currently considering approving a proposal from the Queensland Government for this fishery to kill 600 tonnes of shark a year."
This could amount to about 70,000 sharks, posing a large risk to reef ecosystem health.
Shark-spotters claim the numbers of some species might have increased at least in NSW waters, although this is not reflected in the number of sharks caught in beach nets either in Queensland or NSW.
A Primary Industries Department spokesman said a cautionary approach was being taken under the new regulations which would see the catch reduced from about 950 tonnes to 600 tonnes annually.
"Shark fishing on the Queensland east coast has occurred for more than 30 years and there is no information to suggest that the extraction of shark has posed a risk to the health of the eco-system," he said.
"The major concern with catching sharks ... is that around 50 species are taken and current data means we are unaware of the exact proportions of each species."
The spokesman said the state was protecting vulnerable species such as saw fish, speartooth, grey nurse and great whites and would require fishers to record which species were caught.
Observers would ensure the correct species were logged and access to the fishery would be limited.
"We are seeking to reduce the number of shark-take licences from 1400 to fewer than 200," he said. After three years, the DPI would assess stock to set sustainable catch levels.
