Detecting shark species in liver oil using molecular approaches

Supervisory Team:

• Dr Madeline Green
• Dr David Moreno
• Brit Finucci (external)

Brief project description:

International liver oil trade is a major driver of targeted fisheries and retention of bycatch for deepwater sharks. Sharks are targeted for the squalene content in their liver oil, which is used for cosmetic and human health applications. The preferred shark liver oil species are the gulper sharks, one of the most threatened shark groups. Nearly all gulper sharks are assessed as threatened by the IUCN Red List and most are at a high risk of extinction due to overfishing. Other sharks that are used for liver oil include dogfishes, sleeper, cow, and bramble sharks. Liver oil fisheries are not sustainable, however, these fisheries are understudied and overshadowed by more visible global trades of other shark and ray products. The aim of this project is to develop a protocol for extracting DNA from liver oil products and identify shark species within. This project will determine the best methods for extracting DNA from shark liver oil products and provide a tool for enhanced traceability and management in liver oil fisheries.

Skills students will develop during this research project:

• Molecular techniques – DNA extraction, PCR amplification, metabarcoding sequencing
• Analytical skills – Bioinformatic processing of molecular data, data analysis
• Written and oral communication skills – Manuscript writing, seminars