Cobbler Wobbegong

About the Cobbler Wobbegong

The Cobbler Wobbegong is a shark from the carpetshark family, most commonly found in Western Australia in temperate, shallow waters of 0-35 metres deep. They can be found in rocky and coral reefs off the inner and continental shelf from Houtman Abrolhos in Western Australia to Adelaide in South Australia.

Biology

A small species, the Cobbler Wobbegong is born at about 22 cm in length and grows to a maximum of 92 cm, with males maturing at 65 cm. Little else is known about it’s biology or population size.

Conservation

All sharks and rays are commercially protected under Western Australian law, which essentially restricts the retention of all shark and ray products by commercial fishing vessels other than those operating in the State’s managed shark fishery.

However, the Wobbegong species are caught and sold for ‘fish and chip’ and fresh fish retail outlets. The Cobbler Wobbegong though, is small in size and therefore it’s use and trade is expected to be low.

They are also caught as bycatch by demersal gillnet and demersal longline fisheries of Western Australia but are usually released alive.

The Wobbegong species may benefit from habitat protection and suitably designed and implemented no-take zones, where all forms of harvesting and fishing are excluded.

The IUCN Red List classifies the Cobbler Wobbegong as least concern.

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Scientific NameSutorectus tentaculatus
OrderCarpet Sharks - Orectolobiformes
GenusSutorectus
CitesNot Listed
IUCNLeast Concern
ReproductionOvoviviparous
SizeSmall
Common Length92 cm
Max LenghtNA
Depth Range0-35 m
DistributionEastern Indian Ocean
EnvironmentReef-Associated