A new study by New Griffith University found that nearly three-quarters of the tiger shark population off of Queensland’s coastline has disappeared in the last 30 years.
“This has been particularly rapid in southern regions which is unusual,”‘ says lead author Dr. Chris Brown from the Australian Rivers Institute. “Tiger sharks are top predators that have few natural enemies, so the cause of the decline is likely overfishing. This decline is surprising, because tiger sharks are one of the most resilient large shark species. Mothers can birth up to 70 pups every three years, which means the population should be resilient to moderate levels of fishing.”
The study, which estimated that the tiger shark population had declined 71% since 1984, was published online in the journal, Biological Conservation
Tiger sharks are frequently caught by commercial fisheries both internationally and in Australian waters, through recreational fishing, and the Queensland Shark Control Program.
“The decline in tiger sharks, which are a very resilient species, suggests that Australia is not doing enough to protect our unique shark fauna,”‘ Dr. Brown said.