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Grey nurse shark potential aggregation sites (NESP MaC 4.15)

This dataset describes grey nurse shark (Carcharias taurus) listed, recognised and candidate aggregation sites in Australian waters, together with supporting individual acoustic-detection summaries from monitored aggregation sites. It consolidates previously documented site-level information on known, listed and candidate aggregation areas with time-series evidence of acoustically tagged shark detections.


The project reviewed existing information on grey nurse shark aggregation sites and developed a revised definition for assessing aggregation status. Under this definition, an aggregation site is a discrete area where multiple grey nurse sharks are observed on a regular or predictable basis and where one or more behavioural functions may be inferred, including migration, resting, reproduction, feeding or undefined aggregation. The project also collected new survey and monitoring evidence from selected areas of potential grey nurse shark use, including Barwon Banks and the Hards in Queensland, Outer Gibber Reef in the Hunter Marine Park, and potential habitat in Gippsland, Victoria. These newly surveyed areas were not classified as confirmed aggregation sites as further monitoring is required to assess whether they support regular or predictable use by multiple grey nurse sharks.


The data provided by this record include:

• Aggregation-site data: a consolidated table of listed, recognised and potential grey nurse shark aggregation sites and associated information.

• Individual detection data: collated acoustic telemetry detection summaries for tagged grey nurse sharks at monitored aggregation sites.

Simple

Identification info

Date (Creation)
2026-06-05

Identifier

Title
Information and documentation - Digital object identifier system
Citation identifier
ISO 26324:2012

Code
10.25959/KJS4-CP51
Codespace
doi.org
Description
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Principal investigator

New South Wales Department of Primary Industries - Harasti, David
ROR ID >

ORCID >

Principal investigator

CSIRO Environment - Bradford, Russell
ROR ID >

ORCID >

Principal investigator

CSIRO Environment - Westlake, Emma
ROR ID >

ORCID >

Collaborator

New South Wales Department of Primary Industries - Louden, Brett
ROR ID >

Credit
The data collections described in this record are funded by the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) through the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub. In addition to NESP (DCCEEW) funding, this project is matched by an equivalent amount of in-kind support and co-investment from project partners and collaborators.
Status
Completed

Point of contact

New South Wales Department of Primary Industries - Harasti, David
New South Wales
Australia
ROR ID >

ORCID >

Topic category
  • Biota

Extent



Temporal extent

Time period
2024-03-01 2025-06-30
Maintenance and update frequency
Not planned
Keywords (Project)
  • National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine and Coastal Hub
Keywords (Theme)
  • Marine parks
  • Threatened species
  • Grey nurse shark
Keywords (Taxon)
  • Carcharias taurus
GCMD Earth Science keywords
  • USE/FEEDING HABITATS
  • SHARKS/RAYS/CHIMAERAS
  • CONSERVATION
Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC): Fields of Research
  • Wildlife and Habitat Management
  • Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology)
  • Conservation and Biodiversity

Resource constraints

Classification
Unclassified

Resource constraints

Other constraints
This dataset is hosted by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania, on behalf of NSW DPI and NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Project 4.15.

Resource constraints

Linkage
http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png

License Graphic

Title
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License


>

Website
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

License Text

Other constraints
Cite data as: Harasti, D., Bradford, R., Westlake, E., & Louden, B. (2026). Grey nurse shark potential aggregation sites [Dataset]. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. https://doi.org/10.25959/KJS4-CP51

Associated resource

Title
NESP MaC Project 4.15 - Grey nurse shark aggregations, 2024-2025 (CSIRO, NSW DPI)

Identifier

Code
10.71676/38e17bf8
Codespace
raid.org
Description
Project RAiD
Association Type
Dependency
Initiative Type
Project
Language
English
Character encoding
UTF8

Distribution Information

Distribution format
  • CSV

OnLine resource
COLLATED DATA - Grey nurse shark potential aggregation sites

OnLine resource
COLLATED DATA - Repeated acoustic tag detections of Grey nurse sharks

OnLine resource
MaC_4_15_GNS_aggregation_sites

MAP - Grey nurse shark potential aggregation sites

OnLine resource
MaC_4_15_GNS_aggregation_sites

This OCG WFS service returns the data for download in multiple formats.

OnLine resource
Final Project Report

Bradford R W, Harasti D, Louden B, Westlake EL, Stephenson S, Kilpatrick C, Dwyer R, Cameron J, Wanganeen H, Sherman S, Ierodiaconou D, Travers M, Braccini M, Williams J, Newman SJ (2025). Project 4.15: Grey nurse shark aggregations. Report to the National Environmental Science Program. CSIRO Environment, Hobart, Tasmania.

OnLine resource
View aggregation sites in the interactive Seamap Australia portal.

OnLine resource
Related Publication

Chidlow, J., Gaughan, D. and McAuley, R. 2006. Identification of Western Australian Grey Nurse Shark aggregation sites, Final Report to the Australian Government, Department of the Environment and Heritage, Fisheries Research Report No. 155, Department of Fisheries, Western Australia, 48p.

OnLine resource
Related Publication

Hoschke, A. M., Whisson, G. J., Haulsee, D. (2023). Population distribution, aggregation sites and seasonal occurrence of Australia’s western population of the grey nurse shark Carcharias taurus. Endangered Species Research 50: 107-123.

OnLine resource
Related Publication

Otway NM and Louden BM, 2025. Occupation of aggregation sites and migratory movements of the Grey Nurse Shark (Carcharias taurus) off eastern Australia. NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. Port Stephens Fisheries Institute.

Resource lineage

Statement
This project reviewed existing information on grey nurse shark aggregation sites and generated new field-based evidence for selected potential sites. Existing site information was compiled from previously published site records and candidate western Australian survey sites. Individual detection summaries were derived from acoustic telemetry data compiled for monitored aggregation sites. These data summarise detections of tagged grey nurse sharks by site, individual and month, and were used to support interpretation of temporal patterns in site use.
Hierarchy level
Dataset

Metadata

Metadata identifier
urn:uuid/11812b01-19f8-4126-a3f3-6e87a7b83dc2

Language
English
Character encoding
UTF8

Point of contact

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies - Emma Flukes (NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Data Manager (Southern node))
Parent metadata
  • NESP MaC Project 4.15 - Grey nurse shark aggregations, 2024-2025 (CSIRO, NSW DPI)

Type of resource

Resource scope
Dataset
Metadata linkage
https://metadata.imas.utas.edu.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/11812b01-19f8-4126-a3f3-6e87a7b83dc2

Point of truth URL of this metadata record

Date info (Revision)
2026-06-05T18:59:58
Date info (Creation)
2025-02-13T12:00:00

Metadata standard

Title
ISO 19115-3:2018
 
 

Overviews

Overview of grey nurse shark potential aggregation sites

Spatial extent

Keywords

Grey nurse shark Marine parks Threatened species
Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC): Fields of Research
Conservation and Biodiversity Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology) Wildlife and Habitat Management
GCMD Earth Science keywords
CONSERVATION SHARKS/RAYS/CHIMAERAS USE/FEEDING HABITATS

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Access to the record in catalogue
Read here the full details and access to the data.

Associated resources

Not available


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