The NSW Department of Primary Industries has released a summary of its submission report on the discussion paper for grey nurse shark protection it released in May last year.

A total of 960 individual submissions, 1247 form submissions (from seven groups) and 122 petition signatures were received (2329 in total) during the three month submission period between May and the end of August.

Form submissions were treated as single submissions for the purpose of the analysis.

Among the most common issues discussed were the depletion of the grey nurse population and the need for increased protection, greater protection for the species at Fish Rock and Green Island, banning of all forms of fishing at shark aggregation sites and a call for more research into the numbers of grey nurse sharks.

There were also comments from individuals that they had never hooked a grey nurse shark.

The most common interest groups identified by respondents were scuba diving (485), conservation (313), recreational fishing (276), community (234), boating (146), scientific research (128), education (109), spearfishing (87) and business/tourism (66).

The DPI recognised there were many cases of strongly held, but diametrically opposed, opinions and management suggestions put forward.

It has recommended “further involvement of key stakeholder groups in a facilitated workshop process to develop management options that as far as possible address stakeholder concerns and meet community expectations, while delivering on the NSW government’s policy commitments and legislative obligations”.