Marine scientists have found the overfishing of sharks is leading to physical changes in some species of fish.
The research team from the University of Western Australia and Australian Institute of Marine Science examined several species of fish from two neighbouring coral reefs off North West Australia.
Although the reefs are biologically very similar, one is protected from fishing, while commercial fishing for sharks has been permitted at the other for more than a century.
Scientists found fish from the reef where overfishing occurs are 46% smaller than those living in the protected reef, explaining it is a consequence of a decline in shark populations.