Around Australia there are many species of sharks and finfish that range widely and even undertake
long-distance migrations for spawning or foraging. There is a need to better describe and understand
these aspects of the ecology and biology of these species in order to more effectively manage such
species across both single and multiple jurisdictions. These species cross various jurisdictional
boundaries (State and Commonwealth) and in this process are subject to a range of management
regulations which may potentially be simplified to best meet the needs of an overall stock management
approach. Recent developments in the acoustic tracking of marine species and the deployment of
national tracking infrastructure through IMOS/AATAMS* has provided an unprecedented opportunity to
provide this information, and to achieve synergies between fisheries research and management
organizations across jurisdictions as well as more efficient use of recent marine infrastructure
developments. This proposal will facilitate a national-scale coordinated approach among these
organizations regarding the key species that should be targeted for this type of research effort based on
their biology as well as the potential risks posed by conflicting jurisdictional management approaches.
* Integrated Marine Observing System/ Australian Animal Tracking and Monitoring System