 Quite common within its range , the leopard catshark is harmless to humans . It is a popular subject of public aquariums because of its small size , attractive appearance , and hardiness . The aquarium trade supports a minor fishery that targets the two Poroderma species . This shark is regularly caught incidentally by commercial and recreational fishers , and almost invariably discarded despite being edible . Nevertheless , fishing mortality is likely to be high as many fishers using line gear make a point to kill hooked sharks , seeing them as pests that " steal " bait . The International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) presently lacks sufficient information to assess the leopard catshark beyond Data Deficient , though notes that its inshore habitat is heavily fished and otherwise impacted by human activity . The possible distribution of this shark across many small , distinct populations also warrants additional investigation and monitoring . 
