Australian Blacktip Shark

When Caught

Year round

Important Features

Wild/Farmed: Wild
Habitat: Saltwater and estuarine
Recovery Rate: Fillets: up to 80% from shark barrels

Australian Blacktip Shark Research

FRDC provides a comprehensive search of the latest research papers and images on Australian Blacktip Shark

Remarks

Increasing quantities of roughskin dogfishes (which have clean, white flesh) are being sold in Australia.

Some shark species are heavily exploited (sometimes wastefully, for their fins only), and the fisheries are strictly managed.

Large whaler sharks, tiger sharks and hammerheads are rarely sold due to their strong flavour and high mercury content.

Imports

New Zealand, South Africa and Taiwan:: frozen headed and gutted and fillets, chilled whole and fillets

Common Size

90-160cm

Grading

Not usually graded, although shark fillets are sometimes labelled large , medium or small

Australian Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus tilstoni)

Nutrition Facts

per 100g of raw product

Kilojoules	420 (100 calories)
Cholesterol	48mg
Sodium	90mg
Total fat (oil)	0.9g
Saturated fat	27% of total fat
Monounsaturated fat	20% of total fat
Polyunsaturated fat	53% of total fat
Omega-3, EPA	17mg
Omega-3, DHA	252mg
Omega-6, AA	30mg

Cooking Ideas

Bake	Boil	Deep Fry
Grill/barbecue	Poach	Raw
Roe	Roe & Milk	Salted
Shallow Fry	Smoke	Steam/microwave

Note: Cooking Ideas identified by dark bold text are relevant to this species

Smaller sharks have sweet and delicious flesh, and are popular for their boneless and thick flakes. They have been commonly used for the traditional fish and chips but should not be overlooked for barbecuing, poaching, braising and baking. Marinate first in oil and lemon to tenderise the flesh.

Remove the skin before cooking, particularly when barbecuing, to prevent it shrinking and tearing the flesh.

Excellent for soups, shark is most popularly used in Asian-style shark fin soup and can also be successfully combined with crab meat. The texture of shark also makes it a great ingredient for fish cakes or kebabs.

Make good use of the firm flesh and enhance the flavour by cooking slowly with strong tomato and herb sauce.

Ammonia odour in shark flesh can be reduced by soaking it in milk, vinegar and water or lemon juice. However, if ammonia odours are detected, it is advisable to reject the product.

The smoky blacktip shark salad frenzy from the Northern Territory s Bonrook Lodge utilises blacktip shark in a creative way. The hickory-smoked shark is complemented by a fresh, lively salad drizzled with a spicy, fruity dressing.

Flavour: Medium, Sweet. Mild to moderate fishy flavour
Oiliness: Low
Moisture: Medium
Texture: Medium to firm, Some species flaky
Flesh Colour: White to pink
Thickness: Thick fillets
Bones: The skeleton of sharks is made of cartilage. Thin cartilage becomes soft when cooked.

Suggested Wines

The flavoursome flesh of shark can be accompanied by a wide array of wine styles, although young wines with citrusy, acidic features are best.

For the roast angel shark recipe from Circa, The Prince in Melbourne, a sparkling style such as a pinot-chardonnay would enhance the flavours.

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