Managing Australian fisheries to ensure they minimise impacts on the environment requires good regulation. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water is responsible for regulating Australian fisheries under national environmental laws. Specifically, the department is responsible for providing export approvals, granting accreditation for fisheries that operate in Commonwealth waters, and regulating international trade in endangered species. The recent listing of a large number of requiem sharks (family Carcharhinidae) on Appendix II to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and the department’s response to these listings, provides a case study to highlight the strength of Australia’s fisheries science, regulation and management. We also use this case study to highlight that more can be done to ensure the sustainability of elasmobranchs in Australian waters and to maintain Australia’s international reputation for robust fisheries science, regulation and management.