- Australia is a global 'lifeboat' for some of the world's most endangered sharks and rays
- 158 Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA) have been identified across Australia and the Southeast Indian Ocean, including 143 within State and Territory jurisdictions.
- ISRAs requiring immediate attention include Macquarie Harbour, Tasmania, where salmon farming is driving the Maugean skate to extinction, and NT river systems where sawfish are threatened by commercial barramundi gillnetting that is yet to be phased out by the NT Government.
- ISRAs provide federal and state governments with a clear pathway to strengthen marine protections and promote recovery for endangered sharks and rays.
Australia is a lifeboat for some of the world's most endangered sharks and rays, with a global scientific assessment pinpointing Australia's Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA) that require effective protection from man-made threats.
The ISRA project is a global initiative to identify key habitats for sharks and rays that require protection. With these key habitats mapped in Australian waters, State, Territory and Federal governments are now better positioned to protect species before they disappear.
A total of 158 discrete areas of ocean habitat critical for the survival of sharks and rays have been identified across Australia and the Southeast Indian Ocean, including 143 within State and Territory jurisdictions. These habitats are essential for feeding, breeding, migration and nursery grounds for dozens of species, many of which are threatened or declining.
Dr Leonardo Guida, shark scientist at AMCS said, "ISRAs provide a really clear indication of just how important Australian waters are for protecting the world's most endangered sharks and rays. With more than a third of the world's sharks and rays facing extinction, we're a global 'lifeboat' and for species like sawfish, northern Australia is their last global stronghold."
Dr Guida said, "All our governments – federal, state and territory – have a responsibility to ensure that Australian waters are healthy for generations to come, and ISRAs have been identified in the Northern Territory and Tasmania that need immediate action.
"Farmed Atlantic salmon must be removed from Macquarie Harbour within the next 12 months if the Maugean skate is to have a chance at avoiding extinction. Macquarie Harbour is now globally recognised as an ISRA, all the more reason for it to be formally registered a critical habitat under Tasmanian laws.
"ISRAs in the Top End include the Daly, Roper and Alligator rivers that are home to sawfish and river sharks, so it's crucial that the NT Government creates gillnet free areas around these river systems in 2026 as crucial first step in fulfilling their commitment to phase out commercial barramundi gillnetting by 2028.
"It is very clear for the world to see exactly where Australia needs to invest its resources and political will in protecting our most endangered sharks and rays. Ensuring ISRAs are incorporated into the effective protection of our oceans and management of resources creates healthy oceans that the Australian community depends on for work, play and culture."
Notes & Resources:
- A compendium of all the Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs) can be downloaded here: https://sharkrayareas.org/download/australia-and-southeast-indian-ocean-regional-compendium-of-important-shark-and-ray-areas/
- Important Shark and Ray Areas eAtlas for the Australia and Southeast Indian Ocean region is now available online: https://sharkrayareas.org/e-atlas/
