NEWS
Mapping the path to protecting the world’s threatened sharks and rays – Important Shark and Ray Areas identified in Australian waters
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.
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