Australian shark and ray populations continue to decline, with 1 in 8 species threatened with extinction in Australian waters. In NSW, the combined impacts of commercial and recreational fishing and shark control activities have led directly to their decline.

The current climate crisis is also impacting their habitats, influencing where sharks move and for how long, adding further stress to their populations. Sharks are one of the world’s most ancient creatures, existing for around 450 million years, even before the first tree, they have survived through all the Earth’s five mass extinction events but may not survive us.

Sharks and rays are in desperate need of protection, and it’s up to all of us to make that happen for the health for our oceans, our planet, and all of humankind.