Area restrictions
Do not take in shark refuge areas. Research suggests that gummy sharks are being heavily fished, so area restrictions to protect this species and school shark are extremely important.
Rules
The dorsal and pectoral fins must remain attached to all shark until they are landed.
Habitat
They predominately live on the bottom over sandy areas around Tasmania. At times they can be found in pelagic waters right across southern Australia. School sharks depend on inshore nursery areas including sheltered bays and estuaries as habitat for birthing females and for juveniles.
Fishing information
School sharks are an important bycatch of the recreational ‘flake’ fishery for gummy sharks. In Bass Strait, recreational fishers traditionally use longlines set on the bottom as a fishing method to target these sharks. There is growing interest in targeting gummy and school sharks using rod and lines off beaches around Tasmania at night using bait such a squid and fish flesh. These sharks are very strong so fishing gear should be chosen to reflect this.
Handling
School sharks look similar to gummy sharks but they have teeth, so fishers should be wary of being bitten. All large sharks should be handled carefully as they tend to thrash about when landed.
Cooking
Fillets style done in batter and cooked in hot oil are excellent eating. Some fishers bleed their sharks to improve flesh quality. Keeping fillets in fridge overnight improves their eating quality.