Australia: Seaworld researcher wants better protection for shark habitats

The director of marine sciences at Seaworld on the Gold Coast says adequate research will be the key to protecting the endangered grey nurse shark.

The Seaworld Search and Rescue Foundation and New South Wales Department of Primary Industries scientists recently joined forces to carry out a tagging study of the animals.

Seaworld's Trevor Long says habitat areas need to be protected, particularly in New South Wales.

"This particular research was at Julian Rocks at Byron Bay. Two years ago we undertook similar research at Flat Rock which is just off Point Lookout in Queensland, but it must occur at all of the known aggregation sites of the grey nurse shark," he said.

"So it's quite a big task and it's going to take quite some time before we get a good understanding of what or how these animals utilise these areas."

Source: www.abc.net.au