 Compared to the nurse shark , the tawny nurse shark has a more placid disposition and will often allow divers to touch and play with it . However , it should be accorded respect due to its powerful jaws and sharp teeth . This species is caught by commercial fisheries across most of its range for meat , fins , liver oil , leather , and <unk> . It is also esteemed as a game fish off Queensland , Australia , and is known for its habit of spitting water in the faces of its captors . The International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) has assessed the tawny nurse shark as Vulnerable , with <unk> in several areas already diminished or extirpated . 
