The shark that deserves better PR

Seven gill sharks "look dodgy but are actually extraordinary", according to a marine biologist who has been swimming with the species in Western Port.

The marine biologist was speaking about the species - commonly found in the bay - after a scuba diver was last month bitten on the arm in Tasmania by a broad nose seven gill shark while spearfishing and retrieving a speared fish.

"We can respect the seriousness of what happened without automatically casting the shark as the villain," said shark expert Sheree Marris, who is filming a documentary on the bay.

"Bites involving seven gills are rare, and understanding the circumstances helps replace fear with knowledge.

"The diver was reportedly spearfishing and handling a speared fish. A struggling, injured fish can produce movement, vibrations and chemical cues that a shark's extraordinary sensory systems can detect."

Sheree said while the Tasmanian incident "put seven gill sharks on everyone's radar", the "ancient shark" has been "quietly cruising our southern waters for millions of years, largely unnoticed and with very few recorded bites involving people".

"Seven gills are just one of the many wonderfully weird and unusual shark species found in our local waters."

She said she had been filming them for Western Port Down Under with Zac from the San Remo Fishermen's Co-operative, "giving me the chance to experience these impressive predators up close".

"I'll admit, when a three-metre seven gill eyeballs you, they look seriously dodgy.
"But within moments you forget the teeth and become completely mesmerised by them. The fear falls away and is replaced by fascination, awe and, importantly, a very healthy dose of respect.

"Think swimming dinosaur, with a scientific disclaimer. They belong to an ancient shark lineage with fossil relatives stretching back into the age of dinosaurs, making them a fascinating window into shark evolution."

Sheree said most modern sharks have five pairs of gill slits.

"These guys kept seven. Because apparently five wasn't enough."

She said seven gills sit high in the food web, feeding on fish, rays, other sharks and marine mammals, "making them important players in our marine ecosystems".

They also have distinctive spot patterns that can be used by scientists to recognise individual sharks.

"I reckon the seven gill deserves some better PR. The headlines have put them in the spotlight. Let's use that attention to replace fear with fascination and give these extraordinary animals the respect, understanding and healthy dose of awe they deserve."

She said Western Port Down Under, when released next year, would reveal "the extraordinary animals quietly living in our blue backyard and giving people a reason to discover them, care about them and ultimately want to protect them".

www.westernportdownunder.com.au/