Shark census across Pacific region

Australian scientists will work with people across 25 countries to count the number of shark and ray species in the Indo-Pacific region.

A shark census will use data from 25 countries across the Indo-Pacific region. (AAP)

A shark census will be undertaken by Australian scientists using data from fishermen, divers and officials from 25 countries across the Indo-Pacific region.

The 'SharkSearch' program, led by James Cook University in Townsville, will first try to document numbers of shark and rays before returning to those who helped in the count for further planning.

"This second stage will involve asking the local partners how they want to develop their stocks of sharks and rays," director Andrew Chin said.

"They may want to protect them or they may want to fish them sustainably or they may want to do nothing. It's up to them."

So far the team has found 32 different shark species and 18 ray species around the Solomon Islands.

The project will run until 2030.

"We'll be doing it in a systematic, scientific way, so we will have a reliable picture of what there is out there," Dr Chin said.