 The International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) has assessed the tawny nurse shark as Vulnerable worldwide , as it faces heavy fishing pressure and its low reproductive and dispersal rates limit the ability of over @-@ exploited populations to recover . Furthermore , this shark 's inshore habitat renders it susceptible to habitat degradation , destructive fishing practices ( e.g. poisons and explosives , especially prevalent off Indonesia and the Philippines ) , and human harassment . <unk> declines or <unk> of the tawny nurse shark have been documented off India and Thailand . Off Australia , this species has been assessed as of Least Concern , as there it is not targeted by fisheries . 
