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When a shark takes a bite out of a
fishwhileit is stillbeingcaught,it is
usuallyimpossibletovisuallyidentify
whichsharkspeciesis responsible.
Knownassharkdepredation,thisaffects
bothrecreationalandcommercialfishing.
Asa reportin theFisheriesResearchand
Development Corporation’s publication
FISH explains, this can have economic,
social and ecological consequences.
Knowingwhichsharkspeciesareinvolvedis fundamentalto developingeffective
managementstrategies,particularlyforcommercialfisheries.
Fortunately,researchersat WesternAustralia’sDepartmentof PrimaryIndustries
andRegionalDevelopmenthavefoundthebitewoundsleavetracesof theshark’s
DNAbehind,enablingthespeciesresponsibleto bedefinitivelyidentified.
The WA study is the first todevelop a molecular method toidentify species
involvedin depredationeventswithoutrelianceondirectobservation.NEWSLINESWhen a shark bites, it leaves
traces of its DNA on the wound,
now enabling scientists to
positively identify the species
responsible even when the
shark cannot be seen.Two record
blues in her
first season!
Tara Rowe is a 15-year-old junior female
member of the Port Macquarie Game Fishing
Club, in northern NSW. This past summer
was the first time she’d been offshore game
fishing, but she’s already caused quite a
splash. Competing in the Newcastle East Coast
Classic aboard Zac Danby’s boat Whippen, an
Extreme 545 centre-console, Tara tagged
an estimated 140kg blue marlin on 24kg
tackle. Then in February she backed up with
another blue weighing in at 148.4kg, which is
a pending NSW and Australian Junior Female
record claim on 24kg line class.
Her third blue marlin was caught 32 nautical
miles southeast of Port Macquarie, just south
of the Lake Cathi Canyons. Back out aboard
Whippen, the action started mid-morning when
a blue marlin estimated at 150kg took the
short-corner lure, took off and then threw the
hook after some amazing jumps. Their second
bite was about 10 minutes later, which also
jumped free after a short run. Around 2.45pm
they hooked another blue, and this one did
not get away. It charged the boat, then made
a long run and got tail-wrapped, drowning
soon after. It took Tara 40 minutes to pump it
to the boat, where they hauled it aboard (as
pictured).
Back at the Port Macquarie weighstation,
Tara’s third blue marlin weighed in at 174.4kg,
which is now a pending NSW and Australian
Junior Female record on 37kg line class.
Tara says she loves being out on the water
and the teamwork of game fishing. Although it
can be frustrating, it is also great fun. She adds
that with the help and encouragement she’s
received from Zac and the whole of the Port
Macquarie Game Fishing Club, her first year
blue marlin fishing has been simply amazing.In her first season of game fishing,
15-year-old Tara Rowe caught three
blue marlin on stand-up tackle from
a 5.5m centre-console, including two
pending Australian Junior records.Shark bites
leave DNA
clues