158 Important Shark and Ray Areas Identified Across Australia and the Southeast Indian Ocean

To strengthen the scientific foundation for conservation and management, the Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA) project convened a regional workshop in Adelaide in September 2025. Over five days, 213 contributors and experts from across Australia and the wider region reviewed the best available data on species distributions, life history, habitat use, and movement patterns. Following independent scientific review, 158 Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs) and 35 Areas of Interest were identified for 95 species of sharks, rays, and chimaeras. These span coastal, shelf, and deep-ocean ecosystems, from shallow habitats used by newborn and juvenile sharks and rays to deepwater areas essential for feeding and aggregation. The areas are now freely available through the ISRA e-Atlas (www.sharkrayareas.org).