Australia and the Southeast Indian Ocean: A regional compendium of Important Shark and Ray Areas

158 Important Shark and Ray Areas Identified Across Australia and the Southeast Indian Ocean
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New scientific map highlights critical habitats for threatened and endemic species

​A major scientific workshop has identified 158 Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs) across Australia and the southeast Indian Ocean, providing the most comprehensive map to date of habitats essential for threatened and endemic species in the region.

Held in Adelaide in September 2025, the workshop brought together 217 experts and contributors to assess decades of research, fisheries data, and cutting-edge tracking studies. The results also highlighted 35 Areas of Interest where further research is needed. These areas range from coastal nurseries used by juvenile sharks and rays to deepwater habitats important for feeding and aggregation.

Australia’s waters host some of the world’s most evolutionarily unique sharks and rays, including sawfishes, river sharks, School Shark, Grey Nurse Shark, Whale Shark, and deepwater gulper sharks. Many of these species are listed under national environmental legislation.

The ISRA initiative provides a science-based foundation to inform marine spatial planning, fisheries management, environmental impact assessments, and species recovery efforts. While ISRAs are not protected areas themselves, they help ensure conservation and ocean-use decisions are guided by the best available scientific knowledge.

The findings strengthen regional collaboration and position Australia and the southeast Indian Ocean at the forefront of evidence-based marine management.

With this, over 1,200 ISRAs have been delineated, involving over 1,000 contributors!

© IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group, 2025

Read the compendium here: https://doi.org/10.59216/ssg.isra.2026.r8
and see the workshop report here: https://sharkrayareas.org/download/isra-regional-expert-workshop-report-region-8-australia-and-southeast-indian-ocean/

See the workshop video online here: https://sharkrayareas.org/resources/workshop-videos/
and on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/LgGYfcheKdI?si=m_tyzPaTLiC6rHcV

Many thanks to the generous support of the Shark Conservation Fund, the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, and Re:wild.

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