Sharks – A Multiplex of Crisis & Hope

Sharks – A Multiplex of Crisis & Hope

By Tre’ Packard, PangeaSeed Managing Director

Photo Copyright Rob Stewart

Jaws has Flaws

Shark – the very word strikes fear into the hearts of people everywhere…but why? Is this because of mass media or society’s appetite for the “bad guy”? When on an average of 5 people fall victim to fatal shark attacks annually, a person is more likely to die from falling coconuts, a lightning strike or bee sting. How is it that a movie made in 1976 has and continues to traumatize viewers worldwide while forever stereotyping and demonizing sharks? Peter Benchley’s fictional story and Steven Spielberg’s movie adaptation of a mammoth man-eating shark that stalks innocent humans as they enjoy a leisurely summer swim has led the world to subscribe to the philosophy that the only good shark is a dead shark. With over 400 species, only a handful of sharks pose a threat to humans. But we tend to lump all sharks into one category: dangerous.

Jurassic Park…again

For over 450 million years and older than the dinosaurs, and surviving 5 major extinctions, sharks have shaped and balanced the delicate ocean ecosystem reigning at the top of the food chain as the ultimate Apex predator. But within the last few decades humans have drastically depleted the oceans of sharks with most governments turning a blind eye to the mass slaughter of the species. Late to mature and having few offspring, sharks are highly vulnerable to the pressures of overfishing. An estimated 70-100 million sharks are slaughtered annually for their fins to support the growing demand in Asia and Chinatown communities around the world. As an apex predator sharks play an important and unique role in the ocean’s ecosystem, sharks keep fish populations in balance ensuring these species do not grow uncontrollably. The loss of apex predators can cause unforeseen catastrophes on an ecosystem that depend on them. Several studies are already identifying the problems.

Shark finning is the barbaric process of catching a shark usually using a long-line with baited hooks. These long-line fishing practices are indiscriminate killers catching anything in their way and are causing the demise of many ocean animals ranging from sharks and sea turtles to dolphins and sea birds. Once they are caught, the sharks are hauled onboard where the fins are cut from the often alive animal. In agonizing pain, the shark is then thrown overboard where it sinks to the bottom to drown or to be eaten by other animals. The practice is extremely inhumane and wastes up to 95% of the shark.

Raiders of the Last Shark

Shark fin soup can go for hundreds of dollars per bowl with a single kilogram of fin fetching as much as $100 USD on the black market. Traditionally, shark fin soup was a dish reserved for royalty in China however in modern years the dish has become a staple at weddings and business occasions around the world. But with the current shift in economic power, the Chinese middle class is booming and along with that boom comes a consumer demand and appetite for more things luxurious. Asia’s current consumption appears to be a natural evolutionary step in the wake of living in the shadows of bloated money-crazed first world societies. Unfortunately, sharks and countless other animals are falling victim to these habits and a lack of social awareness amongst the general population who, it seems, would rather play the latest iPhone games on the sidelines.

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. I still believe we shall overcome” ~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

E.T. The Earthlings Transgress

Even if an animal poses a danger to humans, is it our right as human beings to slaughter tens of millions annually when science is proclaiming the global population could become extinct within the next 10-to-20 years? Is this the legacy we want to leave for our children and future generations? Furthermore, isn’t it our responsibility as gatekeepers of our planet to set aside cultural traditions, stigmas, and fears and take rational action in order protect what cannot protect itself? In a perfect world, this would be the case. But when governments and businesses are greatly benefiting financially and politically from the slaughter of an innocent species, the trend seems to be throwing rational thinking overboard. Case in point: Sharks now represent the largest number of threatened marine animals on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of endangered species.

No Encounters for the Third Time

For several years now I’ve been traveling all over Southeast Asia trying to catch a glimpse of the one animal that most people fear. Besides seeing them on menus and in fish tanks, only on a handful of occasions have I been fortunate enough to actually view these majestic creatures in their natural environment. Waters that were once deemed shark rich are now empty and the loss of such an essential predator resonates throughout the ecosystem as well as the local economy. On the extreme other hand, for the past couple of years my wife and I have been campaigning against and documenting the unnecessary mass slaughter of sharks in Asia. From Hong Kong to Japan, literally up to our necks in the bodies and fins of what science considers to be one of the most important animals in the ocean. The relentless global pursuit to harvest the ocean’s sharks is staggering.

Feeling compelled to take action, we founded Japan’s first and only shark conservation non-profit organization. With the support of friends, family, and experts in the field, our goal through education and awareness is to encourage the younger generation to develop an understanding of the relationship they have with sharks and the oceans as well as the direct effect their lifestyle and consumption habits have on the both. By creating relationships with Mother Nature we aim to inspire these future leaders and citizens to be the positive change the natural world desperately needs.

Shark Wars Episode 4: A New Hope

Fortunately in the past year and a half, groundbreaking progress has begun to surface in defense of sharks. Starting in September of 2009 at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, President H. E. Johnson Toribiong of the tiny island nation of Palau announced the pioneering decision to declare his nation’s entire Exclusive Economic Zone (roughly 630,000 square kilometers) the world’s first shark sanctuary. In an interview earlier this month, President Toribiong said “Sharks are being killed needlessly to satisfy an unreasonable appetite for shark fin soup. The health of sharks represent the health of the oceans and the need to protect them far outweighs the need to enjoy a bowl of soup.”

While the declaration of the sanctuary is a noble step toward the preservation of Palau’s natural resources, it remains to be seen if the government will live up to the obligations that go along with protecting sharks. Patrolling and enforcement of the sanctuary, a space roughly the size of France, is a major if not impossible task. The tiny island nation has only one patrol boat to police the entire area, and with little funding for fuel, the boat spends most of its time in port. In 2009, the Australian government volunteered to conduct an aerial survey of Palau’s EEZ revealing over 70 vessels fishing within the sanctuary at any given time. For many fishermen, the money made from fishing sharks and other endangered marine species is worth the risk of being caught. The shark fin industry alone is a multi-billion dollar juggernaut rivaling illegal drugs and guns in terms of profit.

As is the case with many small island nations the world over, Palau’s government depends upon subsides from countries such as Japan, China, and Taiwan. Ironically, it’s these countries that are responsible for the demise of global shark populations as well as many other highly sought after marine species including tuna, wrasse and swordfish. These countries donate hundreds of millions of dollars annually for exclusive fishing rights and access to other natural resources.

Dermont Keane, founder of the Palau Shark Sanctuary and manager of Sam’s Tours, has been campaign for the protection of sharks in Palau for well over a decade. Keane, marine conservationist Edward Dorson, and Matt Rand of Pew Charitable Trusts, as well as several others’ unsung dedication and determination has been instrumental in establishing the first sanctuary of its kind. A pioneer and inspiration in the global shark conservation movement, Keane recalls 50-60 shark finning vessels regularly working the local waters when he first arrived in Palau in 1995. “When I first came to Palau there was a foreign-based long-line fishing fleet neighboring the dive shop I now manage. These boats departed and returned regularly with hundreds of shark fins drying in the rigging. Besides being visually offensive for tourists who came to Palau to scuba dive, the smell was terrible. Seeing shark fins laid out to dry on the boats was a bad image for Palau. I was concerned showing people images of mutilated sharks to communicate the issue would work against promoting Palau as a tourist destination.” Determined to create a balance between protecting sharks while promoting tourism in Palau, Dermont’s brainchild for the shark sanctuary was born.

Scuba diving is a multibillion dollar global industry sustaining multiple levels of otherwise limited island economies. From hotels to restaurants, taxi’s to airports, scuba divers seek out locations that are considered rich in marine biodiversity. A small nation like Palau is ultimately dependent on the health of the oceans for its short and long term survival. President Toribiong appears to realize the benefits of protecting marine species including sharks from this economic standpoint. Ecotourism, scuba and shark diving equal big money. For example, one live shark can generate multiple times the amount of money versus one shark slaughtered for its fins. Protecting sharks is a good investment for Palau and essentially a savings account for the nation’s future. Sharks play an essential role in the outcome of Palau’s longevity. “The strength and beauty of sharks are a natural barometer for the health of the oceans, I call on all nations to join us” said President Toribiong during the UN declaration.

Since the declaration of the sanctuary, the decision has rippled through coastal and island communities around the world and has been instrumental toward the recent global movement to protect sharks. Within the last year similar declarations and legislation to protect sharks have occurred in the Maldives, Honduras, Indonesia and Hawaii. And most recently in January in the United States, President Obama signed into effect The Shark Conservation Act of 2010 which will stiffen the ban and close loopholes in existing shark finning laws. Note that similar legislation just became a law in Saipan, Guam and Washington state.

As one of the world’s leading advocates for shark preservation, Palau is paving the way for what could become the global blueprint for protecting the marine environment. By striving to create a balance between the sustainability of its natural resources, for the present and future generations, while trying to appease and avoid biting the hands that feeds them, it is a daunting task but one that Toribiong seems passionate about. “The declaration is a clear message for more than just the protection of sharks, it’s a message to bring global attention to protecting the oceans,” said the President. With the clock ticking, we can only hope the message is contagious.

To Be Continued…

90% of the ocean’s big fish have disappeared, coral reefs are dying, global fisheries are collapsing, and our seas are becoming plastic and toxic. We call her “Mother Earth” for a reason. She needs our compassion and support now more than ever. It’s our everyday decisions that will determine the fate of our oceans and the future of the planet. It’s time to reconnect and make a difference. Save the shark, save the oceans, save ourselves.

For more information, please visit the follow websites: