Spotted wobbegong  (Orectolobus maculatus)

Wobbegong sharks are commonly caught in commercial and recreational fisheries, both as a target species and as by-catch (5). Its flesh is now highly regarded as food, and the attractively patterned skin has been used as decorative leather (5), although is not currently targeted for this purpose (1). As a result of these fisheries, numbers of the spotted wobbegong have declined significantly in New South Wales. Combined with the closely related banded wobbegong (Orectolobus ornatus), catches declined by over 60 percent between 1990 and 2000 (5). Whilst catches in southern and western Australia appear to be low and stable, the impact of fisheries on the east coast population indicate how vulnerable this species is to over-exploitation (5). The spotted wobbegong may also be threatened by habitat degradation, as estuaries and seagrass beds may be important nursery areas for this species (4), which could be impacted by coastal developments and pollution.

The spotted wobbegong is assessed as Vulnerable in New South Wales, Australia, however no management plan is yet in place for this population, and there are apparently no specific conservation measures in place in any of the Australian states (5). It may gain some level of protection from the protected areas being designated for grey nurse sharks in New South Wales, and it occurs in several Marine Protected Areas throughout its range (5). An in-possession limit of two wobbegong sharks per person was recently introduced for recreational fisheries, and it is hoped that this may help lessen the impact of recreational fishing practices (4). It has been suggested that further information on the biology, ecology and status of the species is required to enable the development of suitable management policies (4) (5).