Morphometric relationships and catch composition of wobbegong sharks (Chondrichthyes: Orectolobus) commercially fished in New South Wales, Australia

Wobbegongs (Orectolobiformes) are commercially targeted in New South Wales, Australia. Catches have declined approximately 60% in a decade, leading to concerns over the fishery's sustainability. However, length and weight composition of the catch is unknown as carcasses are trunked (i.e. beheaded and eviscerated) before landing. We provide parameters for length-length, weight-weight and weight-length relationships to convert carcass length and carcass weight measurements to total lengths and total weights used in fisheries assessments. Neonates and small juveniles were conspicuously absent in the length-frequency distributions of all three species, suggesting the potential existence of nursery areas not available to the commercial fishery.