Shark Conservation in the Anthropocene: Can Sharks Survive Us? By Tessa Weir
When you have survived five mass extinction events over the course of roughly 400 million years, you might think you are doing something right. You have seen the dinosaurs come and go, and outcompeted the most fearsome marine reptiles. You are a shark, one selachian amongst 440 different species, and you have dominated the marine world since the Devonian Period. Life as an apex predator in the ocean should warrant few worries, but sharks’ longtime reign may soon be under threat. Today, sharks are underprotected, overfished, filled with plastic, and tragically misunderstood. In addition to many species being brutally overharvested for their fins and organs, many more are being impacted by the effects of climate change and ocean acidification. Despite these struggles, sharks continue to play a vital role in sustaining the ocean as a functional biome, and even help reduce some of the worst effects of climate change. Given that humans depend on the ocean for food, water, and industry, sharks’ maintenance of the ocean supports the terrestrial environment as well. It is precisely because of their role in sustaining ocean ecosystems and the climate that shark conservation has become a necessity. Advocates and
scientists alike have had to come up with creative solutions to protect this species, starting with protective legislation. These conservation efforts have come not a moment too soon, as sharks are now facing the greatest threat of all: extinction. Films like Spielberg’s 1975 blockbuster “Jaws” and other sensationalized depictions in popular culture exemplify the
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