Unexpected Shark Predation on Sea Urchins Challenges Marine Assumptions

New research reveals sharks, not lobsters, play a significant role in controlling sea urchin populations in New South Wales.

A study aimed at observing lobster predation on sea urchins found that sharks consumed 45% of the urchins, while lobsters ate only 4%.
The research was conducted over 25 nights using tethered urchins and underwater cameras near a lobster den in Wollongong, NSW.
Port Jackson and crested horn sharks were identified as the primary predators, capable of handling large urchins previously thought too difficult for most predators.
The findings suggest sharks have been overlooked in sea urchin management strategies, which traditionally focused on lobsters.
This discovery could influence future efforts to protect kelp forests, which are threatened by expanding sea urchin populations due to warming waters.