| Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks) |
| 325 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 305 kg; max. reported age: 30 years |
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reef-associated; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 360 m, oceanodromous |
| Western Atlantic: Mexico, Gulf of Mexico, Brazil to Argentina. Eastern Atlantic: off France southward and around the coast of southern Africa to central Natal, South Africa (Ref. 5578), including the Mediterranean. Possibly two separate populations in southern Africa (Ref. 3209). Western Pacific: Japan to New Zealand. Eastern Pacific: southern California, USA to the Gulf of California in Mexico and Peru. |
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Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 0-0. A large shark to with a bluntly pointed, broad snout, narrow, bent cusps on the upper teeth, and with no interdorsal ridge (Ref. 5578). Grey to bronzy in color, white below (Ref. 5578); fins mostly plain except for dusky tips on pelvic fins, as well as dusky to black tips and rear edges on pectoral fins (Ref. 9997). |
| A coastal and offshore shark (Ref. 9997) found along continental margins in most tropical and temperate seas. Occasionally enters large coastal bays and inshore areas (Ref. 6390). Occasionally found near the bottom (Ref. 6808). Migratory in the northern part of its range, moving northward in spring and summer and southward in autumn and winter (Ref. 244). Feeds on pelagic and bottom bony fishes, cephalopods, and small sharks and rays (Ref. 5578). Viviparous (Ref. 50449). Undoubtedly utilized for human consumption where it occurs (Ref. 244). Implicated in shark attacks on people (Ref. 9997). |
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Vulnerable (VU); Date assessed: 06 April 2020 (A2bd) Ref. (130435)
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| traumatogenic |
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Occurs in southern Australia, from Jurien Bay in Western Australia to Coffs Harbour in New South Wales. Reports from off eastern Tasmania needs verification (Ref. 6871). Bronze whalers probably migrate following the warmer water southwards in the spring and summer and northwards in the autumn and winter. Migratory behaviour suggests a single stock in the area.
Commercial fishery: The major commercial fishery is in Western Australia. In the southwestern area, bronze whalers are caught mainly with bottom set gillnets, bottom set longlines, droplines and handlines. Bronze whalers actually comprise only 5% of the combined catch for dusky and bronze whalers (Ref. 6871, 13841). In catch records they are often confused with dusky whalers. Since about 1976-80, fishing effort in the Southwest Shark Fishery in Western Australia has been increasing, reaching about 274% from 1980-81, and finally stabilising in 1987-88 (Ref. 13842). From then on until 1994, the Fishery has developed rapidly. Newly born and small juvenile bronze sharks are the prime target of the fishery, hence the annual variations in catch are probably dependent on the number of new recruits that are available to the fisheries (Ref. 6871, 13841, 13842). These species are also included as incidental catch of demersal otter trawling off southern Australia. In the South Australian inshore fishery, they are also caught in west coast bays, Spencer Gulf and Gulf of St. Vincent, off the Murray River mouth and the south-east coast. Bronze whalers are sold on local markets and their flesh is used in the fish-and-chip trade. Recreational fishery: Jetties such as at Giles Point and Rapid Bay in South Australia, and Lorne and Point Lonsdale in Victoria are frequented by gamefishers for catching bronze whalers. They use moderately heavy lines with wire or light chain traces, and gamefishing tackle.
Resource status: Juveniles are mostly targeted in this fishery. However, the extent of the nursery areas is not known so the level of exploitation cannot be determined. There is little information on the status of the adults as well. Current levels of fishing may be sustainable probably if the stocks are not being fished over the extent of their range due to their migratory habits (Ref. 13842).
Also Ref. 2334, 5978, 7300, 9997. |
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