Hub research underpins national decisions about shark management and protection, including compliance with international obligations, by summarising the status of shark species, identifying ways to reduce impacts, and highlighting knowledge gaps. The Hub publication, The Action Plan for Australian Sharks and Rays 2021, is the first complete assessment of extinction risk for all Australian sharks, rays and chimaeras. It reveals that Australia is a refuge for globally threatened sharks and rays, but urgent action is needed to secure 39 Australian species that face an elevated risk of extinction.