The ecology and biology of wobbegong sharks (Genus Orectolobus) in relation to the commercial fishery in New South Wales, Australia

In New South Wales, Australia, wobbegong sharks (Orectolobidae) have been commercially targetted by the Ocean Trap and Line Fishery since 1991. A catch decrease of ca. 50% in a decade lead to concern over the sustainability of the fishery and to wobbegongs being listed as vulnerable in NSW under the World Conservation Union Red List assessment. The aim of this research was to investigate wobbegong biology and ecology in relation to its fishery to provide essential data and information for sustainable management of the woggegong fishery. Biological data was obtained from 904 wobbegongs collected from commercial fishing boats, using setlines and lobset pots and by scuba diving. previously two species of wobbegongs were known to occur in NSW: the spotted wobbegong (Orectolobus maculatus) and the ornate wobbegong (O. ornatus). This study discovered a new species (O. halei) described as a subspecies by Whitley (1940), but which had been syonymised with O> ornatus due to a lack of taxonomic investigation.