Saving Sharks

TLDR? Watch this video first! (Hopefully you'll find sharks are worth every bit of your attention)

Sharks have lived and thrived in our oceans for over 400 Million years but are more in peril now than arguably ever before. An estimated 70-100 million sharks are slaughtered by human activities every year, a large proportion of those killed only to use their fins in a soup. And their meat isn't even used in the soup!! The fins only alter the consistency of the dish, and regardless it is a huge cost environmentally as the health of our largest ecosystems are at risk of total collapse.

Hundreds of freshly cut shark fins being dried before use in "Shark fin soup"

"But what can I do? I'm only one person?" Yes that is true. Of course you can partake in the typical radical movements such as writing to your government, protesting in public, donating to a charity, etc. but not only is it time/ money intensive, these actions may or may not even truly work!

Therefore I have devised a list just for You, the typical worldly citizen, in my best possible quick run-down guide of every day actions that can help save our precious predators.

(Don't believe we need sharks? Without as many sharks in the mid to north Atlantic Ocean off USA, cownose ray populations have soared and decimated scallop industries. Read here:http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/science-sushi/2016/02/24/cownose-rays-exonerated/#.WjmMD1WnEdU

With one link of the ecosystem gone, the whole ecosystem may become unbalanced and either suffer a lot or even fail entirely, sooner or later)

1) Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

Yeah, yeah, I know you've heard this one in high school, on tv, in the newspaper, etc. but it works! Our oceans are drowning in plastic that not only make the ocean a less aesthetically pleasing place, animals are consuming these indigestible materials as well!

& it's not just small amounts of plastic, mountains of plastic make their way into our oceans every year (about 6 million tons, source: Mote Marine Aquarium). & that stuff isn't biodegradeable, so goes without saying it adds up.

So do you need to get plastic bags every time you shop? Do you need to stop putting off buying that re-usable water bottle? Do you need to be driving the biggest & baddest Hummer that pollutes the air and ocean more? (further contributing to ocean acidification/coral bleaching)

I could go on all day about this (graduated with an environmental science degree), but not only does this strategy help save sharks, it helps save all ocean life and they dearly thank you for your efforts.

P.S. definitely don't leave plastic waste on the street assuming it will be picked up by the state & recycled. I have seen & experienced first hand with my jobs over the years at least the majority of it ends up in ponds, directly into the ocean &/or in landfills, with plenty of time for it to disperse and/or be picked up by animals.

2) Be Conscious of What Seafood you Buy/ Eat

What has avoiding farmed salmon or imported shrimp have to do with saving sharks? A lot, as they are more connected than they seem. In order to feed all of those salmon, a lot of little fish have to be caught and that disrupts the natural ecosystem balance there. Likewise species such as Orange Roughies are routinely over-fished until basically local extinction occurs and they move elsewhere to catch more, a very unsustainable practice that won't be told on the marketplace label. Many species are caught and killed on long-lines, a very wasteful practice whereby baited hooks are stretched miles long and as most sharks can't breathe while staying motionless (can't actively pump water in their gills like most fish) they can quickly drown.

But not all seafood is shark-unfriendly. Farmed Tilapia and catfish for example still taste great and are super sustainable for both themselves and the planet.

For updated information visit This Website

Quick Seafood Guide I obtained at the Florida Aquarium, 2017

3) Avoid Modern Shark Products

This may seem obvious, obviously don't buy unsustainable shark meat and especially not shark fin soup. But the products out there can be covert & misleading.

Ladies, if you use cosmetic products with Squalene, abandon ship! Squalene is the lightweight oily material held in sharks' livers that help them stay buoyant, as they lack swim bladders like bony fish.

Even modern shark jaws (yes I know I'm a miserable sinner, I have at least 1 modern shark jaw as of 2017/2018, but I don't have as many as my interest in sharks would suggest) the dealer may say they are "obtained legally" or other sugar-coating but you never truly know how impactful the activities done to obtain those jaws were.

If you need shark teeth, buy fossil &/or replica ones. They are just as awe-inspiring without the damaging the planet.

4) Visit the Aquarium

Perhaps easier to accomplish than the first three, this one can be fun too. When was the last time you took a day off to strole down to your local aquarium? Chances are they are actively engaged in shark and other marine life research and conservation. Heck even become a member of that local aquarium while you're at it! So what will it be, buy that shiny 2" Hemipristis fossil tooth that will definitely provide personal satisfaction, or get to see living/breathing sharks and help ones out in the oceans for a fraction of the price? Seems like a no-brainer to me..

Trio of Sand Tiger sharks swimming alongside other fish, Florida Aquarium, 2017, photographed by your's truly

5) Spread the Word

Another seemingly obvious one, but if enough people join the right and fighting cause, wah-lah, we have a movement!

This also applies if you have "friends" who believe sharks are nothing but savage, bloodthirsty killers (see my myth-busting page) as well. Sharks are not only important to enthusiasts, but to all lovers of this planet, as the majority of the oxygen you are breathing comes directly from our oceans!

6) Don't have too many kids

I am not here to tell you what to do or not do, everyone has free will, but we each contribute to damaging the planet just by living and breathing (using electricity, driving cars, buying stuff with plastic waste, etc. unavoidable ecological footprint activities). This not only helps sharks but every other organism on the planet too (sorry if I'm starting to be redundant, hopefully I'm also not too much of a bore..)

7) Donate/Volunteer

This one I am less informed about but I have no doubt the possibilities are out there. Having participated in one or two local cleanup events (when I didn't have a job that involved regularly picking up trash (bench maintenance), so by the weekend that's the last thing I want to do..) it is a tremendously rewarding endeavor. Heck, for you treasure hunters, you may even find something worthwhile you never even expected! Internships, aquarium volunteering, etc. opportunities are out there & if you have the time/resources/drive to chase them, more power to ya!

Trash removed from a canal in a few hours, Pinellas County Cleanup, 2015

Keep in mind, not all donation methods or even organizations may be entirely legit (or at all), i.e. for "Go Fund me" pages, a sizeable proportion of your donation goes to the hosting company, so it is best to donate to the organization directly. But be curious. Find videos of the organization's work, research the staff credentials, be as skeptical as any true scientist would be..

Have I left out one? Let me know @ pfcp028@yahoo.com