Sharks have always dominated the media both with good and bad news. Unfortunately, the news we hear most of the time is not the best. The bad image that we've bought into traces back to 1975, with the premiere of Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece, "Jaws." This movie was like nothing anyone had ever seen before, and although it is incredibly well done, it terrified the public. To this day, it's led us to believe that all sharks want to do is swim and eat humans.
Do you know why the ocean is so salty? It is from the tears of misunderstood sharks. I kid—clearly that’s not why the ocean is salty. But, sharks are nonetheless one of the world’s most misunderstood animals. They are not the vicious, man-eating machines the public portrays them to be.
Every minute, hundreds of sharks are being killed for their body parts. It is estimated that over 100 million sharks are killed annually. Some species of sharks are decreasing more rapidly than others. For instance, the Great White as well as the Thresher shark have decreased by more than 80% in the last 15 years. All of those cheap, authentic shark souvenirs you just had to have as a kid like the shark tooth necklace or baby shark in a jar, are all the by products of killing sharks. Tacky souvenirs aside, a vast majority of sharks are being killed for their fins.
“Why their fins?” you ask. Three words: shark fin soup—a bland, tasteless, soup that goes for around $100 a bowl.
So, why do we need sharks in our oceans? For one, sharks are classified as an apex predator. An apex predator is really just a fancy way of saying ‘top dog.’ It’s not just people that are scared of sharks. There are plenty of fish in the sea that would steer clear of any shark. Sharks are like bouncers or really strict parents. Sharks use their dominance to keep certain sea life in and unwanted creatures out. Eliminating sharks could cause dramatic change in the ocean’s food chain. No sharks could mean over-populated areas of tuna, which could then cause a shortage of fish like the puffer and crustaceans. And, although the ocean is huge, an imbalance can cause damage all over. We need sharks to balance ecosystems.
There are over 400 species of sharks. That’s insane! Now guess how many are monitored and protected? Only three types of sharks are on the endangered species list: the Basking, White and Whale shark. That is it. Three is better than none, but it’s not enough. We need to use our voices for those who can’t. I’m speaking for the sharks, people. Now, not all of us are capable of dedicating all of time to sailing the ocean and trying to take down illegal fisheries like some organizations. We do however, have our voices, and it is up to us to spread the word and tell others what is going on to not only save our sharks, but save our oceans.
At this rate, our kids could grow up in world without sharks. Really, what’s scarier than an ocean with sharks? An ocean without them.
