Recreational fishing for mako sharks to be allowed again

Recreational fishing for mako sharks is to be allowed again, after draft laws were passed by parliament recently. Short and longfin makos and porbeagle sharks became off limits from January 29 due to a listing on an international convention to protect migratory animals. Labor's legislation now overturns the ban on the recreational fishing for these sharks in commonwealth waters. Visit http://www.fishingworld.com.au/news/mako-shark-ban-finally-overturned for more details.

Sharks & rays filmed at GBR fish cleaning station

ABC TV's "Catalyst" program recently featured a report about a fish cleaning station 28m deep at Osprey Reef on the Great Barrier Reef. A large number of elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) were filmed at the cleaning station, including some huge manta rays. Sharks would repeatedly swim through, being cleaned for 5-10 seconds at a time. Over a 12-week period, the cameras observed 97 elasmobranchs attending the cleaners. Visit http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/2929830.htm for more details, including some short video footage. The footage can also be downloaded from
http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/tv/geo/catalyst/cat_s11_ep18_CleanerFish.wmv .

A great Great White web page

Just found a great Great White web page at http://www.divearound.com.au/divelocation/26/great-white-adventure.html. The page includes some great info, great images & great video footage too.

Shark attack data

A WA surfer was recently bitten on the leg by an unidentified shark whilst surfing at Conspicuous Beach near Walpole. This incident is the latest known shark attack to occur in Australia. Coincidentally, it was announced on TV the same weekend that there have only been 63 known shark attack fatalities world-wide in the past 130 years. That is less than 2 per year throughout the world.

Courtesy of David Whysharksmatter Shiffman

New video shows how thresher sharks use their tails to catch prey: http://rtseablog.blogspot.com/2010/05/threshers-tale-tail-video-footage.html

The Great White formerly held in captivity in Monterrey Bay aquarium has been killed by fishermen: http://www.thedorsalfin.com/shark-news-stories/monterey-bay-aquarium-great-white-shark-killed/

A prehistoric megaladon nursery has been discovered off the coast of Panama: http://scienceblogs.com/laelaps/2010/05/off_the_coast_of_panama_a_preh.php?

The oil spill may impact endangered whale sharks: http://sharkdivers.blogspot.com/2010/04/oil-spill-in-gulf-whale-shark-impact.html