Publication Date

12-2005

Series Number

152

Publisher

Department of Fisheries, Western Australia

City

Perth, Western Australia

ISBN

1 877098 76 0

ISSN

1035 - 4549

Abstract

Final FRDC Report - Project 2003/067

The capability to identify individual shark species from processed body parts is necessary for the WA Department of Fisheries to ensure the compliance of all WA fisheries with both existing protected species regulations and proposed new management measures for commercially important shark species. This project established a reference database of genetic profiles or ‘fingerprints’ for nine of Western Australia’s protected and commercially important shark species. Fingerprints from a 10th species, the shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) could not be obtained due to probable primer sequence mismatching. The database, in conjunction with an associated inspection and testing regime, will act as a significant deterrent to the trade in body parts from protected shark species and also as a source of information on levels of bycatch of commercially important shark species in non-target fisheries. Genetic material from voucher specimens was collected by the principal investigator according to documented species identification and verification procedures. Samples were securely stored in tamper-proof containers until their transfer to the Chemistry Centre (WA) for genetic analysis and profiling. Additional fingerprints were derived from samples from the WA Department of Fisheries’ shark DNA reference collection and included in the database, to ensure that as much genetic variation as possible was represented for each catalogued species. The collection, storage and transfer of each sample was documented and the integrity of each sample was verified on receipt by the project co-investigator prior to analysis. These continuity of evidence protocols were developed according to WA Police Service guidelines for forensic evidence collection to ensure the database’s suitability as a provider of legally robust evidence.

Number of Pages

24

Keywords

Shark species, Identification, Inspection, Chemistry Centre, Sampling, DNA, Sustainability, Whiskery shark, Illegal fishing, Overfishing

Disciplines

Aquaculture and Fisheries | Marine Biology | Natural Resource Economics | Natural Resources and Conservation | Natural Resources Management and Policy

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