A new paper published in the journal Marine and Freshwater Research has suggested that great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) only reach sexual maturity at age 26 for males and 33 for females. In addition the paper suggest that great whites grow slower and live longer then had been previously thought, with a possible life expectancy of 70 years. Aging was carried out by counting “band pairs” of growth on shark vertebrae.

The study has important implications for fisheries managers as it suggests that the sharks are more vulnerable to over exploitation than was previously thought. The low reproduction rate, along with their slow maturation means that rebuilding stocks will take longer than was anticipated.

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