In order to export seafood each fishery needs a Wildlife Trade Organisation (WTO) certification.  The SESS fishery was last certified in 2006.  Certification is due again relatively soon.   Gulper sharks have been listed as being potentially threatened by trawling.

Gulper shark is a collective term for three species; Harrisons Dogfish, Endeavour Dogfish Southern Dogfish (see below).  They reputably live in 300-600m depth.

In September CSIRO is running a 30 day longline vessel survey targeting gulper sharks from Brisbane to Hobart

If anyone has any historical positions on where these species have been caught please advise Simon Boag (EO SETFIA).  This information would be passed on to CSIRO and they would target these areas in an effort to establish that there are remaining populations. 

The current science (right or wrong) is that that the group has undergone a significant depletion.  It is definitely in our interests to do everything we can to find a population.  I noted all points made at the general meeting in April (including mis-reporting) and these will form part of SETFIA's pending submission.