SYDNEY, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Understanding the migration pathways of sharks and rays is key to conserving some of the world's most endangered marine species, new research finds.
Researchers analyzed 30 years of satellite tracking, acoustic and mark-recapture studies to map how migratory shark species connect Australian waters with neighboring countries, according to a statement released Wednesday by Australia's University of Queensland (UQ).
They shortlisted 29 shark and ray species found in Australian waters and identified whale sharks, blue sharks, shortfin mako sharks, school sharks, and white sharks that cross international borders.
Some traveled as far as South Africa, New Zealand, Indonesia and Micronesia, as well as offshore areas beyond national jurisdiction, according to the study published in Conservation Biology.
The researchers said long-distance movements expose sharks and rays to threats across multiple jurisdictions, including overfishing and being accidentally caught as bycatch.
UQ Associate Professor Daniel Dunn, the study's senior author, said 18 of the 29 shark and ray species in Australian waters listed under the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species had no published movement information.
Species could not be effectively managed or policies created without sufficient data, Dunn said.
The findings highlighted the need for cross-border cooperation, with Australia supporting neighboring nations by sharing technology and information, the researchers said. ■