Smaller sharks have sweet and delicious flesh, and are popular for their boneless and thick flakes. They have been commonly used for the traditional “fish and chips” but should not be overlooked for barbecuing, poaching, braising and baking. Marinate first in oil and lemon to tenderise the flesh.
Catch limits
| Catch limit | Fishing Mortality* | Biomass** |
|---|---|---|
East Deepwater Shark Basket Catch Limit 24 tonnes For the 2024–25 Season | Y;Uncertain | Y;Uncertain |
West Deepwater Shark Basket Catch Limit 327 tonnes For the 2024–25 Season | Y;Uncertain | Y;Uncertain |
* Fishing mortality status relates to the level of fishing pressure on a stock – specifically, whether fishing mortality in the year being assessed is likely to result in the stock becoming overfished, or prevent the stock from rebuilding from an overfished state. If fishing mortality exceeds either of these thresholds, a stock is considered to be subject to overfishing.
** Biomass status relates to how many fish there are – specifically, whether the biomass in the year being assessed is above the level at which the risk to the stock is considered to be unacceptable. The HSP defines this level as the limit reference point, below which the stock is considered to be overfished.
| Scientific name | Family | Other names |
|---|---|---|
| Centroscyllium | Etmopteridae | Dogfish |
| Centroscymnus | Somniosidae | Sleeper shark |
| Dalatias | Dalatiidae | Kitefin shark |
| Deania | Centrophoridae | Rough-skin shark |
| Etmopterus | Etmopteridae | Lantern shark |
Description: Deepwater sharks are small to medium-sized sharks with rounded, tapering bodies and large eyes. Body colour varies from greyish to blackish brown. Deepwater sharks two widely spaced dorsal fins, each preceded by a spine, but no anal fin. Snout length varies from short to long depending on the species.
Find more information in the Deepwater shark and skate identification guide.
Size (length and weight): Between 50-150 cm in length depending on species. Females often grow larger than males.
Life span: Over 10 years, depending on species. Some species have been reported to live for up to 30 years.
Habitat: Fairly broad but patchy distributions across benthic and pelagic environments. Different species can be found distributed across depths of about 100-1500 metres.
Prey: Bony fish, sharks and rays, cephalopods, and crustaceans.
Predators: Larger fish and sharks.
Reproduction: Deepwater sharks are known for their slow development and long reproductive cycles. Based on estimates for similar deepwater species, reproductive maturity may occur at 9‑15 years of age. Males mature before females. Gestation periods in some species can be as long as 12 months. Deepwater sharks are ovoviviparous and give birth to 2-20 young in each litter depending on the species and the size of the female.
| Fishery found in | Gear used | Catch of this species is targeted or incidental |
|---|---|---|
| Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery – Commonwealth Trawl Sector | Bottom trawl | Incidental, sometimes targeted |
| Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery – Great Australian Bight Trawl Sector | Bottom trawl | Incidental |
| Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery – Gillnet Hook and Trap Sector | Longline | Incidental |
Deepwater sharks are managed as a group of species using a quota split between east and west. This means the catch of this species by commercial fishermen is restricted by weight.
Commercial fishermen are required to fill in records of their catches, during each fishing trip and when they land their catch in a port. This helps us keep records of how much is being caught.
Fishers generally record deepwater sharks in two groups: pearl sharks or black sharks.
AFMA decide on the amount that can be caught each year from expert advice and recommendations from fisheries managers, industry members, scientist and researchers.
For more information about deepwater shark stock assessments, refer to the SESSF Tier 4 stock assessments 2018.
There are 18 species of deepwater sharks across five families. Very little is known about these species, and only eight of these have any significant catches.
Distribution and depth ranges differ for each species however, they are typically found in waters up to 1500 metres. In the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery, they are most commonly caught from 400 to 700 metres.
The main fishing method used to catch deepwater shark is bottom trawl.
The impact of bottom trawl on bycatch species and habitats has been assessed as part of the AFMA’s ecological risk assessment. AFMA’s ecological risk management strategy details a number of management arrangements which aim to reduce the impact of fishing on the environment. For bottom trawl this includes:
- minimum mesh sizes for bottom trawls to reduce the catch of small and juvenile fish
- mitigation devices to reduce interactions with threatened, endangered and protected species
- and closing areas to fishing to protect vulnerable species and habitats.
Gear
Want to know more?
This is just an overview of deepwater sharks, if you want to know more see the links below.
This fish is managed under the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery.