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23/11/2004: "The Wobbegong Hunter ...........A Professional at work."
The link between lobster (crayfish) and wobbegong sharks is interesting. They both shelter in prefered rocky crevices for safety. The main enemy of the lobster is octopus which 'suck the living flesh' from within the lobster's hard protective shell.
A favourite food of the wobbegong shark is octopus. It was a relationship from heaven for wobbiegong and lobster to live close to one another. 'Wobbies' got to eat 'occies' (who were seeking lobster) and the 'lobster' did well out of it.
But, lobster were targeted by 'starving' fishermen because of their increasing value linked to a decreasing supply.
At the critical point a few years ago, the lobster supply was critical. What happens next?
The value of shark meat increases, especially the white-fleshed wobbegong fillets. It then became worthwhile for lobster fishermen to market wobbegong shark.
This decline in wobbegong shark must be good news for the octopus, who will eat whatever lobster are left! The situation gets worse.
Expect the price of eastern rock lobster to rise even further.
Extendable text Movietone News black and white archival library movie film of wobbegong shark(held by tail) biting man's arm; (text only) 'more divers bittten by this species than by any other shark'; 35mm transparencies of wobbegong fins, heads and tails underwater (including a grey nurse head).
