Conservation status

Sevengill cowsharks are listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Redlist of Threatened Species. In South Africa they are targeted by commercial fisherman where their meat, fins and cartilage are exported. Recreational anglers target them during fishing competitions for sport. In Some countries their populations quickly crashed due to over exploitation and to date in South Africa there is little management and conservation for this species.

Research

There is little known about the movement patterns and behaviour of these sharks. The Save Our Seas Shark Centre is currently conducting this essential research on their ecology. On your dive you can contribute to the research by taking photographs of the sharks to add to a catalogue of photo-ID. Each shark has a different spot pattern and the researchers are trying to determine whether it can be used to reliably identify individuals over time.