SHARK TORN TO PIECES WHILST STILL ALIVE
The grim irony of discussing 'shark attack' remains that the above
scenario is at least a hundred thousand times more likely to occur
than the other way around. In the 1970s and 80s, the general
massacre carried out by recreational divers and fishermen in the
aftermath of 'Jaws' reached such magnitude that protection had to
be enforced for several shark species, including the relatively
harmless sandtiger shark (Australian grey nurse).
While today's divers are far more likely to have heightened
environmental awareness, and mass murder weapons such as explosive
speargun heads and 'bang sticks' have now been banned, the gruesome
practices of the 'shark fin soup' industry are still very much in
evidence. In this case, mass catches of sharks are thrown onto the
decks of factory ships where their fins are cut off, then dumped
back into the water to die a slow and agonising death. This is not
simply an Oriental cruelty - similar prodigal industries have
emerged in the West, supplying bizarre consumer demands for 'shark
cartilage' for example. Drift line and drift net fishing likewise
endanger many species, while inexpertly managed shark nets
(introduced to protect 'dangerous beaches') not only ensnare large
numbers of sharks, but also marine mammals such as dolphins.
![image]()
Drift Line Fishing: a hammerhead killed for no purpose
As we have seen, the shark is a top predator within its own biome.
This means that if we foolishly eliminate it from the apex of a
marine food hierarchy, then unregulated imbalances may occur
elsewhere in the chain, which may even cause environmental
catastrophe. As land based creatures whose sphere of activity
overlaps to a certain degree with that of the shark, it is
therefore essential that we learn to properly understand how this
fish operates, rationally accept its place in the world, and use
this knowledge to avoid any confrontations which may occur.
At the end of the day, if we refuse to enter water where sharks may
be found, or attempt to exterminate their presence there first -
then we are probably on the same level of sanity as a person who
refuses to drive on the road out of fear that an aircaft may land
on his or her car.
