 The northern river shark appears to be extremely rare, though more subpopulations may remain to be discovered in Australia and Papua New Guinea.Based on present information, no more than 250 mature individuals are estimated to exist in the wild, with no more than 50 in any particular subpopulation.This species is caught legally and illegally by commercial fisheries using longlines and gillnets, as well as by recreational fishers; habitat degradation may pose a further threat to its survival.