NZ SHARK-FINNING BAN

A ban on shark finning comes into force in New Zealand on 1^st October this year. The ban applies to all shark species in NZ fisheries. The Animal Welfare Act already prohibits the removal of fins from live sharks. The new ban makes it illegal to kill sharks for their fins.

SHARK DETECTION TECHNOLOGY BEING DEVELOPED

The company that launched “anti-shark wetsuits” last year is now developing a buoy to alert lifeguards of the presence of sharks. Shark Mitigation Systems, together with Optus, is developing shark detection technology which uses sonar to scan the water for shark-like objects. A 25-kg buoy would communicate with sonar transducers mounted on a frame on the seabed. An alert would be sent via satellite to lifeguards. Such a method would alleviate the need for shark culling procedures.

SA shark culling protest

A 2nd shark culling protest was attended by hundreds in high temp at Glenelg yesterday 1st Feb.

Migrating White sharks rely on fat stores in their livers

According to the web page found at http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2013/07/17/3804158.htm,
White sharks rely on fat stores in their livers to power their migration over thousands of kilometres across ocean basins, a new study has found.

Cobbler Wobbegong shark found beach washed

An intact small adult  Cobbler Wobbegong shark was found beach washed on Brighton Beach, SA today, 8/7/13. Dr David Muirhead took the specimen home and took lots of photos of it.

Goblin Sharks (& one attacking the arm of a diver)

Video footage of a Goblin Shark attacking the arm of a diver can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh_HUIJkRzU. The goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni) is a deep sea creature that's been sighted less that 50 times since its discovery. They're the only living representative of the family Mitsukurinidae. An artist's version of one can be found at http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=622690581085290&set=a.456449604376056.98921.367116489976035&type=1&ref=nf .

6m white shark seen near Neptune Islands in Sth Australia

Andrew Fox of Rodney Fox Great White Shark Expeditions reports the sighting of "Possibly one of the largest if not the largest white shark in the world. This 6m class giant appeared out of the gloom down at 23 metres near the Neptune Islands in SA".