Humans have condemned sharks since the first sighting, with the addition of films like Jaws being produced where sharks are the antagonist, it is hard to dispute that our knowledge has been shaped by what Hollywood wants us to believe. Even Peter Benchley, the creator of Jaws, says he “wishes he never wrote it” because of how it made the world view sharks (Haro).
My experience is different. I have been fascinated by sharks ever since I first watched shark week. Shark week was the catalyst that pushed me down the rabbit hole. What I discovered was unlike the movies or stories being portrayed. How come when I was researching all I found was that sharks are not as scary as humans make them out to be? How come I have been swimming with sharks, and yet I still find ways to both appreciate them and see their value as opposed to wishing they were exterminated?
While yes sharks can be dangerous, as any animal can, the reality of getting attacked by sharks is extremely rare. Instead of encouraging the narrative that sharks are scary and thus should be eradicated, we should pull focus on the significance of sharks. Our fear is restricting us to see all the positives sharks bring to the marine ecosystem, and to the homeostasis of the underwater pyramid. We have the responsibility to rectify our mistakes.
Maybe, we’ve held onto the narrative being produced in Hollywood that sharks are bad and evil creatures, as a way to justify killing them. Shark populations in the high-seas, parts of the oceans that do not fall under any government jurisdiction, have dropped 71% since 1970 from overfishing (Stokstad). Many people believe that if we can, we should. This mindset is warped by Hollywood and its continuous condemnation of sharks
This idea drove Brianna Le Busque, researcher and professor at the University of South Australia, to dive deeper and analyze 109 shark films. She found that 96%, 105, of them overtly portrayed sharks as potentially threatening to humans (Baier). Out of the remaining four films, three of them covertly portrayed the potential threat of sharks to humans. And only one film, Finding Dory, did not present sharks as threatening to humans (Baier).
This essay is more than me rambling about the atrocities that sharks face in the media; I want to bring attention to real practical matters that can help reverse this sharxtinction epidemic. First things first, Hollywood. The fact is, Hollywood will probably not change their ways until the shark epidemic declines so much that it is impossible to reverse. To push conservation forward the Discovery Channels’ annual Shark Week should include more episodes on conservation and shark importance. If they were to highlight either how when humans remove sharks from a coral reef ecosystem, the shark’s prey is allowed to run wild disrupting the natural homeostasis. In some cases, the small fish that typically consume the coral algae start to die off. The area where algae go unchecked leads to dead zones. The algae consume oxygen and block sunlight needed by underwater plants, which decreases oxygen levels in their surroundings, making it impossible for aquatic life to survive.
Once we begin to shift the narrative, we can start trying to dismantle other prejudicial systems. Overfishing is a main problem that is rapidly dwindling shark populations. Governments should look to the United States and what they did to help shark conservation. The United States implemented laws that would ban or prohibit shark landings. And an even easier way to reverse the population decline is to simply lessen the catch. Most importantly, shark awareness and extinction must be at the forefront of fisheries and government minds to even begin reversing sharp population declines.
Last of all, switching from saying shark attack to shark encounter can have a real impact. Half of what shapes our opinions is the connotation of a shark attack. Even when I hear or see the word shark attack all I think about is a violent scene for Jaws or another shark horror film. The truth is though that most of these shark attacks are really just shark encounters. Of around the 108 shark “attacks” that happened in 2022, 12% of them were not targeted at humans and were either boat bites, scavenges, or unconfirmed (Naylor). Even when a human is involved the saying should still be encountered as we are in their natural habitat, not ours. I am by no means trying to diminish the lives that have been lost by sharks all I want to do is encourage people to switch from saying “attack” to “encounter”.
It’s our responsibility to preserve the planet and animals on it by spreading awareness and supporting laws that protect sharks. Go to change.org to see online petitions you can sign for reef conservation, mote.org describes current and recent projects that work on shark preservation this website also doubles as a place where you can make a donation. No matter how big or small your donation matters. And remember “With every drop of water you drink, every breath you take, you’re connected to the sea. No matter where on Earth you live.” (Holland and Travel).
Works Cited
Baier, Jansen. “If You Think Sharks Are Scary, Blame Hollywood, New Study Suggests.” Mongabay Environmental News, 3 Feb. 2023, https://news.mongabay.com/2021/09/if-you-think-sharks-are-scary-blame-hollywood-new-study-suggests/.
Haro, Alexander. “Steven Spielberg Regrets How ‘Jaws’ Shaped the Public’s View of Sharks.” The Inertia, 28 Dec. 2022, https://www.theinertia.com/environment/steven-spielberg-regrets-how-jaws-shaped-the-publics-view-of-sharks/#:~:text=I%20really%2C%20truly%20regret%20that,impact%20on%20the%20public's%20perception.
Holland, Bobby, and We Dream of Travel. “150+ Beautiful Sea Quotes & Captions for Ocean Lovers (2023) ⋆ We Dream of Travel Blog.” We Dream of Travel Blog, 2 Jan. 2023, https://www.wedreamoftravel.com/sea-quotes/.
Mohler, Mark. “Great White Shark Photo: I Swam with ‘World’s Biggest’.” BBC News, 2019, https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-46916839. Accessed 2023.
Naylor, Gavin. “Yearly Worldwide Shark Attack Summary.” Florida Museum, 6 Feb. 2023, https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/yearly-worldwide-summary/.
Simpfendorfer, C. A., et al. “The Importance of Research and Public Opinion to Conservation Management of Sharks and Rays: A Synthesis.” CSIRO PUBLISHING, CSIRO PUBLISHING, 24 June 2011, https://www.publish.csiro.au/mf/mf11086.
Stokstad, Erik. “Most High-Seas Shark Species Now Threatened with Extinction.” Science, 2021, https://www.science.org/content/article/most-high-seas-shark-species-now-threatened-extinction.