SHARKS ARE FRIENDS, NOT FOES

It’s time for a rethink on Jaws.

By Hannah Rudd.

Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

Sharks are Friends, Not Foes

For many of us our first introduction to sharks as kids was through the Hollywood blockbuster Jaws or a thrill-seeking nature documentary that defines them as one of our planet’s deadliest predators. We love the blood-thirsty narrative of ravenous monsters lurking beneath the waves patrolling our coastlines on the lookout for their next kill. Every summer media outlets are peppered with headlines of these so-called vicious killers - when in reality, here in the UK that ‘vicious killer’ is almost always a basking shark, a filter-feeding species with plankton at the top of the menu. After all, fear sells.

If you have ever had the opportunity to observe a shark in its natural environment, or even within an aquarium, you’ll soon realise how quickly those myths are dispelled. Almost everyone comes seeking a thrill and a chance to encounter Jaws but is quickly hit with the stark reality that the predatory behaviour they’ve become famous for is both very rare to observe and not the target of humans. Sharks are a highly misunderstood group of animals within the public psyche thanks to misleading perceptions crafted by both Hollywood and the media. In fact, research has shown that these negative stereotypes translate to limited support for their conservation.

Of course, Steven Spielberg’s Hollywood blockbuster interpretation of Pete Benchley’s Jaws is also the reason for so many people becoming interested in sharks in the first place. Sharks are apex predators and can inflict serious damage, even death, if you’re incredibly unlucky, but the idea that they’re mindless killing machines or that you are likely to become a shark attack victim every time you step into the ocean is both false and not supported by science. In fact, you’re more likely to die whilst taking a selfie, falling out of bed or by driving than you are by a shark – and nobody is scared of those mundane parts of everyday life. If there is a killer in this story, it is us.

Scientists estimate that 100 million sharks are killed every year, primarily driven by the increased desire for their fins and overfishing. But not only this, their populations have declined by more than 70% globally due to a range of threats like bycatch, habitat degradation and climate change. In 2019 a collaborate study involved over 150 scientists identified that large pelagic shark species are especially vulnerable to international commercial fishing fleets as they tend to aggregate around hotspots of smaller fish species – the prey of the sharks, and coincidentally the target fish for the fishermen.

There are over 500 known species of shark with a diverse range of shapes and sizes residing in every ocean. From the freaky looking deep-sea sharks like the goblin shark and the frilled shark, to what we come to think of as a traditionally shaped shark, the great white and mako, to the gentlest of giants and the tiny catsharks. In terms of taxonomy, sharks belong to the Chondrichthyes – the cartilaginous fishes – and are a member of the sub-group, elasmobranchs, which also features skates and rays. For over 400 million years they have patrolled our ocean and are perfectly adapted apex predators with refined senses. The features that make a fish a shark include their ability to detect electricity (termed ‘electroreception’) through jelly-filled pores in their noses called ‘ampullae of lorenzini’, a lightweight cartilaginous skeleton, skin covered in dermal denticles, five to seven gill arches and a fatty liver for buoyancy instead of a swim bladder.

But what evolution could not prepare sharks for was the intensified pressure on their populations driven by humanity. Unfortunately, the life history characteristics that make sharks formidable predators are also what make them susceptible to our activities. Firstly, sharks have what scientists call a ‘low fecundity’. This means that many shark species produce a low number of baby sharks with each reproductive cycle. Not only that, but it also takes them a relatively long time to sexually mature. One study suggests that male great white sharks take 26 years to reach sexual maturity, with females taking 33 years. Sharks are also slow growing and long living – take the Greenland shark for example, the world’s oldest living vertebrate estimated to live up to 400 years. It’s easy to see why shark populations are so vulnerable to human impacts.

When dolphins fall victim to being entangled in nets or whales are targeted by commercial whaling, there is often public outcry. But when sharks are slaughtered in their millions for their fins – and sometimes thrown back into the ocean alive after having their fins removed – public interest is low. It’s not impossible to suggest that we can rethink our attitude towards sharks. Whales were once thought of as fantastical mythological creatures and dangerous monsters, which both sparked human curiosity and facilitated our desire to kill them through whaling. Luckily, before we lost some whale species forever, we recognised their key ecological role and that they are worth more alive through wildlife-based tourism. We had an attitudinal shift, and we must do it again.

But why should we care? Why do sharks matter? Sharks are the doctors of the ocean. They play an integral role in maintaining the health of our seas by regulating the species below them and preventing their populations from exploding. There’s evidence of the downsides of their removal happening already as sharks are thought to be functionally extinct – i.e their population is not big enough to influence other species - on 25% of the world’s coral reefs. Sharks pick off the weak and sick too, which ensures strong genetic diversity, and they also play a key role in the ocean’s carbon cycle. They have inspired new technologies as well, like low water-resistant swimsuits and renewable wave power devices based on their tails. It’s understandable if you’re sat there thinking “but what does this have to do with me? I don’t depend on the ocean in my everyday life”.

But you do. For our global community to thrive, we all depend on a healthy ocean. From the air that we breathe – every second breath that we take is produced by our seas – to food provisioning, job security, climate change mitigation, improved mental health… The list goes on and on when you really consider how much the ocean touches your life on a daily basis, both directly and indirectly. It can be quite astonishing. We are all connected and it’s in all our interests to conserve sharks.

Sharks are Friends, Not Foes

British Sharks

It’s often surprising for people to hear that we have over 40 species of shark in UK waters, with 21 species being residential and 11 deep-sea species. Sadly, almost half of British sharks are understood to be threatened by extinction. From the second largest shark in the world to sharks with whip-like tails and some of the rarest species on the planet, Britain has some pretty special species. With our changing climate too, it is likely that in coming decades will see a range of new species in our seas. According to National Geographic, by 2050 we could see bigger shark species including great hammerheads, sand tigers and copper sharks in our waters.

But what about the world’s biggest predatory fish, the great white shark? The debate surrounding the presence of white sharks in British waters has raged on for some years. However, as exciting as that would be, there have been no confirmed sightings of them here in the UK. It isn’t impossible, however, with the conditions being comparable to other white shark hotspots around the world. The closest confirmed sighting to our shores was not too far away though, in the northern Bay of Biscay, recorded in 1977. Maybe one day they’ll reach our shores.

Basking Shark

Getting their name from their tendency to be basking in the sun as they swim through shallow waters in search of plankton feasts, the basking shark is the world’s second largest fish and can be found off our coastline between May and October. Due to its enormous size, it is the easiest shark to spot from our shores and there are a number of hotspots around our coastline. Despite its gargantuan size basking sharks are filter-feeders and they propel themselves through the water with their enormous mouths gaping open to filter plankton from the water. Like its tropical counterpart, the whale shark, basking sharks pose little threat to humans. A relative of the great white shark, basking sharks have recently been documented engaging in breaching behaviour – propelling their entire bodies out of the water. Unlike the white shark, which breaches on its prey in South Africa, it’s thought the basking shark breaches as a way of removing any parasites like copepods that are feeding on their skin.

Blue Shark

With their elegant torpedo shaped bodies and distinctive blue colouration that becomes iridescent in the sunlight it is easy to see why the blue shark gets its name. An openocean dwelling species, blue sharks are highly migratory and have been documented travelling over 5,700 miles in a single trip. They visit our seas during the summer months but are usually spotted 10+ miles offshore and there is an emerging ecotourism industry forming enabling people to snorkel with these slender sharks. Despite producing one of the largest pup litters of any shark species – one individual was recorded with 135 pups! - the blue shark is considered to be a Near Threatened species on the IUCN Red List largely due to its status as the most heavily fished shark species in the world.

Porbeagle Shark

Often nicknamed ‘mini great whites’ it’s easy to see why as the porbeagle closelyresembles its cousin. All members of the Lamnidae family, also known as the mackerel sharks, have the ability to regulate their body temperature above that of the surrounding water in a process known as ‘endothermy’. This makes them adapted to inhabiting the cold waters off our coastlines and enables them to successfully hunt with the warm blood keeping their muscles hot to quickly generate power to propel them through the water when needed. Porbeagles are a very elusive shark with little being known about them to science.

Angelshark

You’d be forgiven if you thought the angelshark was a species of ray. With their flattened body and eyes on top of their heads, angelsharks don’t conform to the stereotypical shape of sharks. As ambush predators that lay submerged on the seafloor awaiting prey to swim overhead, they are perfectly designed. Until recently it was thought that angelsharks were all but gone from UK waters after being victims to bottom trawling. Whilst it is a critically endangered species and is potentially extinct off the east coast of the UK, recently a sub-population in Wales has been found to be thriving, giving hope to this species. As with all sharks though, angelsharks are slow growing taking between 8-12 years to reach reproductive age meaning population recovery is a very slow process.

Sharks are Friends, Not Foes

Science has demonstrated that creating an emotional connection with an animal is one of the first steps in motivating the public to save it. Ecotourism is a good way of doing this and has been proven to be a powerful tool in changing public perceptions of sharks as it challenges stereotypes and allows the public to view these animals in a new light. Here in the UK, opportunities to get in the water with sharks are increasing. You can experience the secondlargest shark in the world, the basking shark, up in Oban, Scotland with Basking Shark Scotland or for free during a coastal walk in the Isle of Man. Off the Pembrokeshire Coast you can snorkel with Celtic Deep during an offshore adventure where you will likely come across many other marine wonders like minke whales and grey seals. Cornwall is also a shark hotspot where you may find a small-spotted catshark swimming amongst the kelp, or even spot a basking shark or blue shark too if you’re lucky. Whilst eco-tourism isn’t a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach and doesn’t apply to all species, many of which are the most endangered, it’s an excellent start to engaging the public with sharks and reversing the harmful stereotypes that currently exist.

If you’d prefer to be on dryland, then there is a wealth of aquariums here in the UK to observe sharks and learn more about them. There have been many questions about the ethics of captivity and it’s undeniable that some species do better than others in these environments. Zoos and aquariums generally provide high quality care for species and are also involved in breeding programmes and research which is ultimately benefiting the species in the wild and their conservation. They are also a great place to introduce little ones to life under the waves and to spark curiosity about our natural world at a young age.

Sharks are Friends, Not Foes

So, what else can you do to help sharks?

The Shark Trust has a number of incredible resources to help you make changes in your everyday life for the benefit of sharks, but also to get involved with citizen science initiatives like their annual Great Eggcase Hunt. Heading to your local beach to collect shark and ray eggcases, also known as mermaids purses, is a unique way to enjoy the salty air whilst learning about British sharks and rays and contributing to science. Closer to home, you can ensure you only purchase sustainable seafood by checking that its Marine Stewardship Council certified or by checking its traffic light status in the Marine Conservation Society’s Good Fish Guide.

If you want to go a step further, then checking the method your seafood is caught by will also influence reducing your impact on sharks. Longlines, trawls and gillnets are the key offenders for unintentionally killing sharks so it’s best to avoid those if possible. Reducing your plastic consumption is another thing you can do, as is cutting down your energy consumption to reduce your eco-footprint. Sharks need a healthy ocean habitat to thrive too and it’s important we do our bit to conserve our seas more generally too. Ultimately, spreading awareness, having conversations and challenging stereotypes are also great ways you can support sharks and their conservation for free.

For far too long we have dismissed the role sharks play within our oceans and have not given them the respect that they deserve. Sharks are rapidly running out of time, but we can provide them with the chance to recover. It’s time with have a rethink on Jaws.