Slow life-history traits of a neritic predator, the bronze whaler (Carcharhinus brachyurus)

Intra-species plasticity in the life-history characteristics of sharks leads to the need for regional estimates to accurately determine resilience to anthropogenic effects. The present study provides the first length-at-age, growth and maturity estimates for the bronze whaler (Carcharhinus brachyurus) from southern Australia. Age estimates were obtained from vertebral sections of 466 individuals spanning 50–308-cm total length. Maximum estimates of age for males and females were 25 and 31 years respectively. The three-parameter logistic model for females (L∞=308cm LT, k=0.15, α=742) and for males (L∞=317cm LT, k=0.13, α=782) provided the best fit to the size at age data. Males matured at a similar age (16 years), but smaller size than females (224v. 270cm LT). Growth parameters and age-at-maturity estimates were similar to those for genetically isolated C. brachyurus populations, and the sympatric dusky shark (C. obscurus). The southern Australian C. brachyurus population is long-lived, slow growing and late maturing. These growth parameters are needed to undertake demographic analyses to assess the resilience of C. brachyurus to fishing, and provide an example of a wide-ranging elasmobranch with similar life-history characteristics across isolated populations.