| Grantee | Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania ↗ |
| Location | Global |
| Grant Amount | $70,506 |
| Duration | 12 months |
| Type of Grant | Core |
Gulper Sharks are a group of 15 species found in the deep sea waters of at least 119 nations. They have remarkably low reproductive rates, and as such their populations can quickly decline when fished. Most Gulper Sharks are taken in unmanaged deep sea fisheries. They are retained primarily for their livers which contain high concentrations of squalene, an oil used in a wide range of health, beauty, medical and industrial products. Their meat and fins are also used and traded.
Of the 15 species in the group, 11 are threatened with extinction, making Gulper Sharks the most threatened group of deep sea sharks and rays. These population declines are the direct result of overfishing driven by the demand for their liver oil that is traded internationally. This project seeks to reduce the mortality of Gulper Sharks by working at a global scale to ensure that catches only occur at sustainable levels.