for fishmeal and liver oil; the meat is said to be of good quality, but the flesh is considered to be mildly poisonous when consumed. When captured, it is very active and quick to bite, but it does not pose a substantial threat to people due to its small size. It has occasionally been kept in captivity in Japan. Conservation status Some concern exists that populations of this slow-reproducing species may be declining in areas of sustained deepwater fishing, and it has been assessed as Near Threatened by the World Conservation Union. In June 2018 the New Zealand Department of Conservation classified the sharpnose sevengill shark as "At Risk – Naturally Uncommon" with the qualifiers "Data Poor" and "Secure Overseas" under the New Zealand Threat Classification System. Curiosity On 26 September 2019, in the morning, a dead carcass was found on Torre Pali's beach, one small locality in Salento (Italy). See also List of prehistoric cartilaginous fish genera References Heptranchias Fish described in 1788