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Gummy Shark is a sustainable species found throughout Australia’s temperate waters. It occurs from Geraldton in WA around to Jervis Bay in NSW, and in TAS. There is also an undefined stock in Eastern Australia from Newcastle north to the Clarence River.

Gummy Shark (Mustelus antarcticus) is distributed along the east coast from Hinchinbrook Island in Queensland, through temperate waters including the Bass Strait and Tasmania, to Geraldton in Western Australia [CSIRO 2022; White et al. 2021]. 

There is most likely two biological stocks of Gummy Shark in Australia; one in southern Australia (extending from the lower west coast of Western Australia to Jervis Bay in New South Wales and a second in eastern Australia, extending northwards from Newcastle, New South Wales to around Hinchinbrook Island in Queensland [Last and Stevens 2009; White et al. 2021]. The lower fecundity and smaller total length at reproductive maturity of the eastern stock relative to the southern stock supports this division (see Biology Table). 

Conventional tagging showed adult Gummy Sharks exhibit broad-scale displacements from tagging locations of up to  2,362 km in 6.8 years, yet only 15% of adults were recaptured more than 250 km from the tagging location. The mean displacement was approximately 150 km [Walker 2010]. Acoustic tagging in Western Australia showed comparable movements, with average long-distance displacements of 238 km and maximum displacements of more than 900 km [Braccini et al. 2017]. 

Here, assessment of stock status is presented at the biological stock level—Southern Australia and Eastern Australia.

Eastern Australia

The Eastern Australian biological stock of Gummy Shark is caught by the Commonwealth, Queensland and New South Wales. 

Total Commonwealth commercial catch averaged less than 1 tonne (t) per year during 2017–18 to 2021–22 financial years and was less than 1 t in the 2021–22 financial year. Commonwealth fishing is unlikely to be having a negative impact on the stock.

Very low and infrequent levels of Gummy Shark catch have been reported from the East Coast Inshore Fishery (ECIF), the main source of shark product on the Queensland east coast. Catch data for the ECIF indicates that Gummy Sharks have contributed to the annual ECIF catch eight times since 2005. In each instance, the total (annual) Gummy Shark catch was less than 1 t [Department of Agriculture and Fisheries 2019, 2022]. While Gummy Sharks are retained with more frequency in the charter fishery, catch levels remain below 1 t. Given the low levels of harvest, the level of fishing mortality in Queensland is unlikely to be having a negative impact on the stock. 

Available information indicates that there is little catch of Gummy Shark (less than 50 t per year) off New South Wales [Peddemors 2015]. In the 2022 fiscal year, the total catch was around 34 t. Catch in New South Wales has remained relatively stable since 2014. There is insufficient information available to confidently classify the status of this stock.

On the basis of the evidence provided above, the Eastern Australia biological stock is classified as an undefined stock.

Gummy Shark biology [Moulton et al. 1992: Peddemors 2015: Walker 2007: Walker 2010]

Commonwealth – Commercial (Management Methods/Catch). Data provided for the Commonwealth align with the 2021–22 financial year.

Commonwealth – Recreational. The Australian Government does not manage recreational fishing in Commonwealth waters. Recreational fishing in Commonwealth waters is managed by the state or territory immediately adjacent to those waters, under its management regulations. 

Commonwealth – Indigenous. The Australian Government does not manage non-commercial Indigenous fishing in Commonwealth waters, with the exception of the Torres Strait. In general, non-commercial Indigenous fishing in Commonwealth waters is managed by the state or territory immediately adjacent to those waters.

Western Australia – Recreational (Management Methods). A recreational fishing from boat licence is required for recreational fishing from a powered vessel in Western Australia.

New South Wales - The New South Wales EGF, OTF and OTLF fish both the Southern Australian and Eastern Australian stocks.

New South Wales – Indigenous (Management Methods). https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/aboriginal-fishing

Victoria – Indigenous (Management Methods). A person who identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander is exempt from the need to obtain a Victorian recreational fishing licence, provided they comply with all other rules that apply to recreational fishers, including rules on equipment, catch limits, size limits and restricted areas. Traditional (non-commercial) fishing activities that are carried out by members of a traditional owner group entity under an agreement pursuant to Victoria’s Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010 are also exempt from the need to hold a recreational fishing licence, subject to any conditions outlined in the agreement. Native title holders are also exempt from the need to obtain a recreational fishing licence under the provisions of the Commonwealth’s Native Title Act 1993.

Tasmania – Recreational (Management Methods). A recreational licence is required for fishers using dropline or longline gear, along with nets, such as gillnet or beach seine.

Tasmania – Indigenous (Management Methods). Indigenous people engaged in aboriginal fishing activities in marine waters are exempt from holding recreational fishing licences, but must comply with all other fisheries rules as if they were licensed. Recreational bag and possession limits also apply. If using pots, rings, set lines or gillnets, indigenous people must obtain a unique identifying code (UIC). The Recognition of Aboriginal Fishing Activities policy explains the process for issuing a UIC to a person for Aboriginal fishing.

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