Defining the boundaries of hammerhead shark populations will bring scientists closer to assessing the status of these unique and susceptible species.  

Hammerhead sharks are known to swim large distances, including across the open ocean. Sharks from Australia may therefore mix with sharks from Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and islands of the Pacific.
Understanding these connections is central to providing information on the status of hammerhead shark populations to support Australian and international conservation and management initiatives.

A project led by the Australian Institute of Marine Science will use tagging and genetic sampling to see how hammerhead sharks are connected.

The project findings will be combined with biological, ecological and fisheries data to assess the stock structure and population status of hammerhead sharks in Australian waters.

The project is part of the National Environmental Science Programme (NESP) Marine Biodiversity Hub, an Australian Government initiative that aims to improve the knowledge of key marine species and ecosystems to underpin their management and protection.