Bycatch in the protective shark meshing programme off south-eastern New South Wales, Australia Original Research Article

There has been a consistent bycatch associated with the New South Wales (NSW) protective shark meshing programme since its inception in 1937. In addition to potentially dangerous shark species, various harmless species of sharks, marine mammals, turtles, rays and finfish have also been caught over the intervening years. Numerically, rays were the most common bycatch group recorded. The most common finfish caught were jewfish or mulloway (Argyrosomus hololepdotus), tunas (Scombridae) and kingfish (Seriola lalandi). Smaller numbers of dolphins, turtles and dugongs were also recorded. Very little information is available on many of these species in NSW waters. The need to consider a co-ordinated biological monitoring programme for the NSW shark meshing operation is also discussed.