Distribution, reproduction and population structure of three gulper sharks (Centrophorus, Centrophoridae) in south-east Australian waters
K. J. Graham A C and R. K. Daley B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre of Excellence, PO Box 21, Cronulla, NSW 2230, Australia.
B CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, GPO Box 1538, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: Ken.Graham@industry.nsw.gov.au
Marine and Freshwater Research 62(6) 583-595 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF10158
Submitted: 18 June 2010 Accepted: 4 January 2011 Published: 24 June 2011
Journal Compilation © CSIRO Publishing 2011 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND
Abstract
Gulper sharks (Centrophorus spp.) are commercially fished in all oceans but the taxonomy and biology of many species are not clearly defined, and stocks are extremely vulnerable to over-exploitation. We present distributional, size-frequency and reproductive data for three species (Centrophorus harrissoni, C. moluccensis and C. zeehaani) that fishing has largely extirpated from the south-east Australian upper continental slope. Trawl-survey catches in 1976–77 from lightly exploited stocks comprised mostly mature males with few mature females or juveniles; a 2009 long-line survey caught higher proportions of mature females and, for C. harrissoni, more juveniles. Females of the three species grew larger and reached maturity at a greater size than males and, for both sexes, maturity sizes were more than 80% of their maximum observed lengths. Reproduction was continuous but data were insufficient to determine seasonality. Ovarian and uterine fecundity were singular for C. zeehaani whereas C. harrissoni and C. moluccensis developed two oocytes and produced one or two embryos; evidence suggests that the left-side uterus is less functional than the right-side. In response to these species’ inherent low productivity and continuing reduced numbers, managers have introduced landing restrictions and area closures to enhance Centrophorus stocks in southern Australian waters.
Additional keywords: dogfishes, fecundity, management.
References
AFMA (2010). Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery Management Arrangements Booklet. Australian Fisheries Management Authority, Canberra. Available at http://www.afma.gov.au/fisheries/sess/sess/publications/default.htm [accessed 17 June 2010].Andrew, N. L., Graham, K. J., Hodgson, K. E., and Gordon, G. N. G. (1997). Changes after twenty years in relative abundance and size composition of commercial fishes caught during fishery independent surveys on SEF trawl grounds. FRDC Project No. 96/139. NSW Fisheries Final Report Series No. 1. NSW Fisheries Research Institute, Sydney.
Bañón, R., Pineiro, C., and Casas, J. M. (2008). Biological observations on the gulper shark Centrophorus granulosus (Chondrichthyes: Centrophoridae) off the coast of Galicia (north-western Spain, eastern Atlantic). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 88, 411–414.
| Biological observations on the gulper shark Centrophorus granulosus (Chondrichthyes: Centrophoridae) off the coast of Galicia (north-western Spain, eastern Atlantic).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bass, A. J., D’Aubrey, J. D., and Kistnasamy, N. (1976). Sharks of the east coast of southern Africa. VI. The families Oxynotidae, Squalidae, Dalatiidae and Echinorhinidae. Investigational Report No. 45. South African Association for Marine Biological Research, Oceanographic Research Institute, Durban.
Chen, C., Taniuchi, T., and Nose, Y. (1981). Some aspects of reproduction in the pointed-snout dogfish Squalus japonicus taken off Nagasaki and Chosi. Bulletin of the Japanese Society of Scientific Fisheries 47, 1157–1164.
Clark, M. R., and King, K. J. (1989). Deepwater fish resources off the North Island, New Zealand: results of a trawl survey, May 1985 to June 1986. New Zealand Fisheries Technical Report No. 11. MAFFish, Wellington.
Clarke, M. W., Connolly, P. L., and Bracken, J. J. (2001). Aspects of the reproduction of the deep water sharks Centroscymnus coelolepis and Centrophorus squamosus from west of Ireland and Scotland. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 81, 1019–1029.
Clarke, M. W., Connolly, P. L., and Bracken, J. J. (2002). Catch, discarding, age estimation, growth and maturity of the squalid shark Deania calceus west and north of Ireland. Fisheries Research 56, 139–153.
| Catch, discarding, age estimation, growth and maturity of the squalid shark Deania calceus west and north of Ireland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Compagno, L. J. V. (1984). FAO species catalogue, Vol. 4. Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Part 1. Hexanchiformes to Lamniformes: viii, 1–250. FAO Fisheries Synopsis 125. Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome.
Compagno, L. J. V. (1990). Shark exploitation and conservation. In ‘Elasmobranchs as Living Resources: Advances in the Biology, Ecology, Systematics, and Status of the Fisheries’. (Eds H. L. Pratt Jr, S. H. Gruber and T. Taniuchi.) NOAA Technical Report NMFS 90. pp. 391–414. US Department of Commerce, Seattle, WA.
Compagno, L. J. V., Ebert, D. A., and Cowley, P. D. (1991). Distribution of offshore demersal cartilaginous fish (class Chondrichthyes) off the west coast of southern Africa, with notes on their systematics. South African Journal of Marine Science 11, 43–139.
Compagno, L., Dando, M., and Fowler, S. (2005). ‘Sharks of the World.’ (Princeton University Press: Princeton, NJ.)
Correia, J. P. S., and Smith, M. F. L. (2003). Elasmobranch landings for the Portuguese commercial fishery from 1986 to 2001. Marine Fisheries Review 65, 32–40.
Daley, R., Stevens, J. D., and Graham, K. (2002). Catch analysis and productivity of the deepwater dogfish resource in southern Australia. FRDC Project 1998/108. CSIRO Marine Research, Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and NSW Fisheries, Australia.
Duffy, C. A. J. (2007). First record of Centrophorus harrissoni from New Zealand, with observations on squamation in Centrophoridae (Squaliformes). New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 41, 163–173.
| First record of Centrophorus harrissoni from New Zealand, with observations on squamation in Centrophoridae (Squaliformes).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Figueiredo, I., Moura, T., Neves, A., and Gordo, L. S. (2008). Reproductive strategy of leafscale gulper shark Centrophorus squamosus and the Portuguese dogfish Centroscymnus coelolepis on the Portuguese continental slope. Journal of Fish Biology 73, 206–225.
| Reproductive strategy of leafscale gulper shark Centrophorus squamosus and the Portuguese dogfish Centroscymnus coelolepis on the Portuguese continental slope.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Forrest, R. E., and Walters, C. J. (2009). Estimating thresholds to optimal harvest rate for long-lived, low-fecundity sharks accounting for selectivity and density dependence in recruitment. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 66, 2062–2080.
| Estimating thresholds to optimal harvest rate for long-lived, low-fecundity sharks accounting for selectivity and density dependence in recruitment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Girard, M., and Du Buit, M. H. (1999). Reproductive biology of two deep-water sharks from the British Isles, Centroscymnus coelolepis and Centrophorus squamosus. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 79, 923–931.
| Reproductive biology of two deep-water sharks from the British Isles, Centroscymnus coelolepis and Centrophorus squamosus.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Girard, M., Rivalan, P., and Sinquin, G. (2000). Testis and sperm morphology in two deep-waters squaloid sharks, Centroscymnus coelolepis and Centrophorus squamosus. Journal of Fish Biology 57, 1575–1589.
| Testis and sperm morphology in two deep-waters squaloid sharks, Centroscymnus coelolepis and Centrophorus squamosus.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gordon, J. D. M. (1999). Management considerations of deep-water shark fisheries. In ‘Case Studies of the Management of Elasmobranch Fisheries’. (Ed. R. Shotten.) pp. 774–818. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper 378/2, Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome.
Graham, K. J. (2005). Distribution, population structure and biological aspects of Squalus spp. (Chondrichthyes, Squaliformes) from New South Wales and adjacent Australian waters. Marine and Freshwater Research 56, 405–416.
| Distribution, population structure and biological aspects of Squalus spp. (Chondrichthyes, Squaliformes) from New South Wales and adjacent Australian waters.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Graham, K. J., Kennelly, S. J., Andrew, N. L., and Montgomery, S. S. (1992). Report for Cruises 90–03 to 90–07 conducted during February–April 1990. Kapala Cruise Report No. 109. Fisheries Research Institute, Sydney.
Graham, K. J., Andrew, N. J., and Hodgson, K. E. (2001). Changes in relative abundance of sharks and rays on Australian South East Fishery trawl grounds after twenty years of fishing. Marine and Freshwater Research 52, 549–561.
| Changes in relative abundance of sharks and rays on Australian South East Fishery trawl grounds after twenty years of fishing.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Guallart, J., and Vicent, J. J. (2001). Changes in composition during embryo development of the gulper shark Centrophorus granulosus (Elasmobranchii, Centrophoridae): an assessment of maternal-embryonic nutritional relationships. Environmental Biology of Fishes 61, 135–150.
| Changes in composition during embryo development of the gulper shark Centrophorus granulosus (Elasmobranchii, Centrophoridae): an assessment of maternal-embryonic nutritional relationships.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Guallart, J., Serena, F., Mancusi, C., Casper, B. M., Burgess, G. H., et al. 2006. Centrophorus granulosus. In ‘IUCN 2010’. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. Available at www.iucnredlist.org [accessed 29 November 2010].
Hanchet, S. (1988). Reproductive biology of Squalus acanthias from the east coast, South Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 22, 537–549.
| Reproductive biology of Squalus acanthias from the east coast, South Island, New Zealand.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Holden, M. J. (1974). Problems in the rational exploitation of elasmobranch populations and some suggested solutions. In ‘Sea Fisheries Research’. (Ed. F. R. Harden-Jones.) pp. 117–137. (John Wiley: New York.)
Iwamoto, T., and Graham, K. J. (2001). Grenadiers (families Bathygadidae and Macrouridae, Gadiformes, Pisces) of New South Wales, Australia. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 52, 407–509.
Jakobsdóttir, K. B. (2001). Biological aspects of two deep-water squalid sharks: Centroscyllium fabricii (Reinhardt, 1825) and Etmopterus princeps (Collett, 1904) in Icelandic waters. Fisheries Research 51, 247–265.
| Biological aspects of two deep-water squalid sharks: Centroscyllium fabricii (Reinhardt, 1825) and Etmopterus princeps (Collett, 1904) in Icelandic waters.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ketchen, K. S. (1972). Size at maturity, fecundity and embryonic growth of the spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) in British Columbian waters. Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada 29, 1717–1723.
Kyne, P. M. and Simpfendorfer, C. A. (2007). A collation and summarization of available data on deepwater chondrichthyans: Biodiversity, life history and fisheries. A report prepared by the IUCN Shark Specialist Group for the Marine Conservation Biology Institute. Available at: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/organizations/ssg/deepchondreport.pdf.
Last, P. R., and Stevens, J. D. (1994). ‘Sharks and Rays of Australia.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.)
Last, P. R., and Stevens, J. D. (2009). ‘Sharks and Rays of Australia.’ 2nd edn. (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.)
McCulloch, A. R. (1907). The results of deep sea investigations in the Tasman Sea. II. The expedition of the Woy Woy. Fishes and crustaceans from eight hundred fathoms. Records of the Australian Museum 6, 345–355.
| The results of deep sea investigations in the Tasman Sea. II. The expedition of the Woy Woy. Fishes and crustaceans from eight hundred fathoms.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McLaughlin, D. M., and Morrissey, J. M. (2005). Reproductive biology of Centrophorus cf. uyato from the Cayman Trench, Jamaica. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the U.K. 85, 5027/1–8.
Newton, G., and Klaer, N. (1991). Deep-sea demersal fisheries resources of the Great Australian Bight: a multivessel trawl survey. Bureau of Rural Resources Bulletin No. 10. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
Pogonoski, J., and Pollard, D. (2003a). Centrophorus harrissoni. In ‘IUCN 2010’. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. Available at www.iucnredlist.org [accessed 29 November 2010].
Pogonoski, J., and Pollard, D. (2003b). Centrophorus moluccensis. In ‘IUCN 2010’. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. Available at www.iucnredlist.org [accessed 29 November 2010].
Pogonoski, J., and Pollard, D. (2003c). Centrophorus uyato. In ‘IUCN 2010’. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. Available at www.iucnredlist.org [accessed 29 November 2010].
Severino, R. B., Afonso-Dias, I., Delgardo, J., and Afonso-Dias, M. (2009). Aspects of the biology of the leaf-scale gulper shark Centrophorus squamosus (Bonnaterre, 1788) off Madeira archipelago. Arquipelago: Life and Marine Sciences 26, 57–61.
Stehmann, F. W. (2002). Proposal of a maturity stages scale for oviparous and viviparous cartilaginous fishes (Pisces, Chondrichthyes). Archiv fuer Fischerei und Meeresforschung 50, 23–48.
Stevens, J. D., Bonfil, R., Dulvy, N. K., and Walker, P. A. (2000). The effects of fishing on sharks, rays, and chimaeras (chondrichthyans), and the implications for marine ecosystems. ICES Journal of Marine Science 57, 476–494.
| The effects of fishing on sharks, rays, and chimaeras (chondrichthyans), and the implications for marine ecosystems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Stobutzki, I., Patterson, H., Ward, P., Sampaklis, A., Sahlqvist, P., et al. (2010). 9. Commonwealth trawl and scalefish hook sectors. In ‘Fishery Status Reports 2009: Status of Fish Stocks and Fisheries Managed by the Australian Government’. (Eds D. T. Wilson, R. Curtotti and G. A. Begg.) pp. 254–268. Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics – Bureau of Rural Sciences, Canberra.
Walker, T. I. (1998). Can shark resources be harvested sustainably? A question revisited with a review of shark fisheries. Marine and Freshwater Research 49, 553–572.
| Can shark resources be harvested sustainably? A question revisited with a review of shark fisheries.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Walker, T. I. (2005). Reproduction in fishery science. In ‘Reproductive Biology and Phylogeny of Chondrichthyans: Sharks, Rays and Chimaeras’. (Ed. W. C. Hamlett.) pp. 88–127. (Science Publishers: Enfield, NH.)
Watson, G., and Smale, M. J. (1998). Reproductive biology of the shortnose spiny dogfish, Squalus megalops, from the Agulhas Bank, South Africa. Marine and Freshwater Research 49, 695–703.
| Reproductive biology of the shortnose spiny dogfish, Squalus megalops, from the Agulhas Bank, South Africa.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wetherbee, B. M. (1996). Distribution and reproduction of the southern lantern shark from New Zealand. Journal of Fish Biology 49, 1186–1196.
| Distribution and reproduction of the southern lantern shark from New Zealand.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
White, W. T. (2003). Centrophorus squamosus. In ‘IUCN 2010’. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. Available at www.iucnredlist.org [accessed 29 November 2010].
White, W.T., and Dharmadi, (2010). Aspects of maturation and reproduction in hexanchiform and squaliform sharks. Journal of Fish Biology 76, 1362–1378.
| Aspects of maturation and reproduction in hexanchiform and squaliform sharks.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BC3cvpsFSnsw%3D%3D&md5=16f962740090f18f4a8340b4b087b091CAS | 20537019PubMed |
White, W. T., Ebert, D. A., and Compagno, L. J. V. (2008). Description of two new species of gulper sharks, genus Centrophorus (Chondrichthyes: Squaliformes: Centrophoridae) from Australia. In ‘Descriptions of New Australian Chondrichthyans’. (Eds P. R. Last, W. T. White and J. J. Pogonoski.) pp. 1–21. (CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research: Hobart.)
Wilson, C. D., and Seki, M. P. (1994). Biology and population characteristics of Squalus mitsukurii from a seamount in the central North Pacific Ocean. Fishery Bulletin 92, 851–864.
Wilson, D. T., Patterson, H. M., Summerson, R., and Hobsbawn, P. I. (2009). Information to support management options for upper-slope gulper sharks (including Harrisson’s dogfish and southern dogfish). Final Report to the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation Project No. 2008/65. Bureau of Rural Sciences, Canberra.
Yano, K. (1995). Reproductive biology of the black dogfish, Centroscyllium fabricii, collected from waters off western Greenland. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 75, 285–310.
| Reproductive biology of the black dogfish, Centroscyllium fabricii, collected from waters off western Greenland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Yano, K., and Tanaka, S. (1984). Some biological aspects of the deepsea squaloid shark Centroscymnus from Suruga Bay, Japan. Bulletin of the Japanese Society of Scientific Fisheries 50, 249–256.
Yano, K., and Tanaka, S. (1988). Size at maturity, reproductive cycle, fecundity, and depth segregation of the deepsea squaloid sharks Centroscymnus owstoni and C. coelolepis in Suruga Bay, Japan. Bulletin of the Japanese Society of Scientific Fisheries 54, 167–174.
