Brief Summary: The Importance Of Atlantic White Sharks

Sharks are Friends

Since the 1970’s when the movie Jaws first showed up on big screens around the country, people have been afraid of beaches, in fear of shark attacks. Not only have they been apprehensive about swimming in the ocean, but some have such malicious feelings towards sharks (especially Atlantic White Sharks due to their role in the movie) that they have taken to hunting and killing this already dwindling species. (Earth Island Institute) It is no secret that pollution and overfishing, as well as numerous other factors have caused the biodiversity of marine life to drastically decrease. It is also known that the ocean ecosystem relies much on all members of the food chain- particularly top predators like sharks. Larger sharks,
As mentioned in the beginning, Atlantic White Sharks are being feared and hunted. People run wild, saying that the sharks are going to kill us anyway, so we might as well fight back. It is unfortunate that this has become the common mentality, some avoiding the beach like the plague while others wage war against the shark species. Based on the media, one might think that one hundred people or more die a year from shark attacks. In reality, all shark species combined kill only about twenty a year. (National Geographic) Just think of the scale- almost 59 million people in the United States alone visit the beach each year. (U.S. Census Bureau) Out of all those people, not even 20 are victims of Atlantic White Shark attacks. Think about that statistic again. There are 59 million American beachgoers every year, and 20 shark attacks (not only Atlantic White Shark attacks). Any fears or resulting actions are irrational and don’t solve any problems. The only impact it has is the destruction of the shark
It is estimated that between 20 and 100 million sharks die every year. That pales in comparison to the few 20 people killed every year by them. The three most predated species by include: Scalloped Hammerheads, Thresher Sharks, and Atlantic White Sharks. Because of the Movie Jaws, one species in particular has caught the attention of many. Atlantic White Shark populations have dropped by 79% in the past fifteen years, slowing down recently. (Shark Research Institute) We can attribute this to Atlantic White Sharks becoming a federally protected species in 1997, as well as protection efforts made by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy (founded in 2012 in Cape Cod, Massachusetts). The Conservancy seeks to reach out and educate the public about this problem and hopefully inspire others to take action. Other groups have also formed in an attempt to protect marine life and biodiversity in general. Shark Advocates International, which focuses on giving the sharks a voice in politics. Achievements include getting several endangered shark species listed as a federally protected species, passing restrictions and bans on finning (where sharks are caught, their fins removed, and then released where they will soon die), fishing limits for smaller species of sharks, and development of fisheries to cultivate especially delicate breeds. (Shark Advocates International) Both the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy and Shark Advocates International