為保護灰鯊棲地，澳洲在東海岸的聯邦水域劃定一塊海洋自然保護區。政府冀望這塊新南威爾斯外海的鱈地海洋生態保護區能為瀕臨絕種的灰鯊，留下更多生存空間。
兇猛的習性，加上易被誤認為其他具攻擊性的鯊魚，灰鯊常成為獵捕和娛樂性叉魚活動的犧牲品，亦不乏死於澳洲東南部的鯊魚數量控制計劃。
灰鯊常因捕魚、誤入魚鉤和獵鯊鰭活動中喪命。儘管政府已明令禁止捕鯊，東岸鯊魚數目仍逐漸減少至500隻以下，族群規模也日益萎縮。
鱈地海洋保護區被澳洲政府列為嚴格的自然保護區，禁止一切商業和娛樂性獵捕活動，原生物種和海底生態系都在保育範圍。
幾個商業漁夫持有鱈地捕魚執照，長年以此區為營生。澳洲政府希望向他們買回這些執照，但必須研擬相關方案，協助這些漁民渡過轉換期。
為鯊魚保育奮戰五年，國際人道協會（HSI）對催生保留區成功頗感欣慰，但表示仍有23個鯊魚聚集點需要政府關注。
灰鯊（學名Carcharias taurus）是澳洲1999年 「環境保護與生物多樣性保育法」中，唯三列為極度瀕危的魚種之一。
Habitat for a harmless shark that is one of Australia's most threatened marine species was protected today by a new marine reserve in Commonwealth waters off Australia's east coast. The Australian government announced the creation of a reserve to protect grey nurse sharks at the Cod Grounds, off the New South Wales coast.
Historically, due to their fierce appearance and being mistaken for other sharks that pose a danger to humans, large numbers of grey nurse sharks were killed by recreational spear and line fishers and in shark control programs, particularly in southeastern Australia.
The greatest threat to the grey nurse shark is from fishing and accidental hooking, and shark finning. Despite legislation prohibiting their capture, there are now fewer than 500 individuals on the east coast and the population size continues to decrease.
The Cod Grounds Commonwealth Marine Reserve has been declared as a strict nature reserve, and will be managed to ensure the undersea ecosystem and native species are protected. All commercial and recreational fishing will be prohibited in the reserve.
The Australian government is in the process of buying out the licenses of several commercial fishermen who have a history of fishing at the Cod Grounds. Adjustment assistance will also be considered for fishing cooperatives impacted by the buyout.
After a five year long campaign for protection of this shark species, the Humane Society International, HSI, is pleased with the new reserve but says there are 23 other grey nurse shark aggregation sites that also need protection.
The grey nurse shark, Carcharias taurus, is one of only three fish species listed as Critically Endangered under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, EPBC, 1999.
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