Due to their strength, speed, and exceptional efficiency in hunting, sharks have occupied the top of the oceanic food chain for the last 450,000,000 years. As the food chain and its species evolved over the centuries, sharks have managed a balancing act by keeping populations in check. For millions of years, the consumption level of sharks has been interwoven with the natural state of the food chain, and is why the oceanic food chain has come to exist as it is today. As apex predators, sharks have eaten the sick, the old, the weak, and as a result have affected the evolution of marine species.

The depletion of sharks changes the balance and risks the survival of whole ecosystems. As shark populations become decimated, the populations of other species thrive, throwing the slow-cooked, delicately balanced oceanic food web into a state of tumultuous upheaval that may take another 450,000,000 years to rebalance. In some areas, the decline of shark species due to overfishing has led to an overpopulation of rays, which in turn caused the collapse of scallop fisheries.

Many people base their notions of sharks solely on information gleaned from sensationalized headlines or media sources like Jaws, Open Water, and Discovery Channel’s Shark Week rather than from personal encounters or scientific research. So, it’s no surprise that most people think sharks are menacing, aggressive, and bloodthirsty animals who are hungry for human flesh.

This great fear that humans have toward sharks is partly understandable. When out at sea, we are not in our natural element. Our limbs and feet are more suited to walking than swimming, and most of our senses work best on land. In a foreign environment, the fear of other species is heightened. As the Earth’s top land predator, human beings will always be fascinated by the idea of being preyed on by a larger animal. This psychological root is repeatedly played out in folklore and stories, from the Biblical tale of Jonah being swallowed by a whale to the novel, Moby Dick.

Such irresponsibly misleading media coverage reinforces the portrayal of sharks as indiscriminate killers. This reputation is further reinforced by news sources that sensationalize the rare shark attacks that do happen around the world. Pigs, vending machines, bee stings, and falling coconuts kill more humans per year than sharks, yet the media does not sensationalize these issues with such zeal because these dangers don’t rouse in us the delicious fear of the mysterious, insatiable, hostile archetype.

With such depictions in the cultural mindset, it’s easy to see why selachophobia, the irrational fear of sharks, is so common among humans. The majority of the human population will never get the opportunity to spend even a few minutes in the presence of one of these beautiful and elusive creatures in the wild (unless they seek out a biodiversity hotspot and fork up a lot of cash to go diving), but most people still cling to a fear of sharks. Despite how common and understandable this fear is, statistics assure us that this fear need not continue. Sharks are not as dangerous to human beings as many people think, and the chances of being attacked by a shark are infinitesimal. Worldwide, sharks are responsible for 4.2 human deaths on average per year. A person is 285,714 times more likely to die in a car accident and 16 times more likely to die from a bee sting than from a shark attack. Out of 400+ species of sharks, only a few species are “dangerous” to humans (white, tiger, and bull sharks account for over half of all shark attacks.

In reverse, experts estimate that humans kill up to 100,000,000 sharks each year. The irony of selachaphobia is that the chance of a shark being killed by a human is 30,000,000 times larger than the chance of a human being killed by a shark.

Peter Benchley, the writer of the book that the highly influential film, Jaws, was based on, regretted writing a book that demonized the great white shark. He spent his later life protecting sharks and promoting oceanic conservation.

In the past 50 years, humans have turned the tables on the oceans. It is feared that sharks could possibly become extinct in the next decade or two. Many shark populations have declined by as much as 90%. Of the all shark species assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 110 are classified as endangered, threatened or vulnerable. Sharks now represent the greatest percentage of threatened marine species on the IUCN Red List. Despite these mass declines in shark populations, only four shark species included in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) regulations are protected internationally.

There are various reasons for the rapid decline in shark populations: overfishing, destructive fishing practices, trophy hunting, habitat destruction, and shark finning.

Sharks are being overfished in many parts of the world at an alarming rate. Sharks are highly vulnerable to overfishing because they are generally slow growing and long-lived. Females reproduce late in life and have few offspring. With some sharks taking as long as 30 years to reach sexual maturity. This makes them inherently vulnerable to exploitation and slow to recover from population declines.

The nations with the highest shark catches are Indonesia and India, though much of their bounty is shipped to Hong Kong, which handles between 50-80% of the global shark fin trade. Shark products are used in fish fillets, supplements, cosmetics, leather, pet food, and even in the “fish” portion of fish and chips.

The most financially valuable part of the shark, and a primary incentive for shark fishing, is the fin. Large numbers of sharks become victims of the barbaric practice known as shark finning. In the practice of shark finning, a shark is caught, usually using a longline with baited hooks, and then pulled on board where fishermen cut the fins from the shark with no anaesthetic relief. Often still alive, the shark is thrown overboard and unable to swim and in agonizing pain, the shark then sinks to the bottom of the ocean to either drown or be eaten alive. This is not only a terribly cruel practice, but is also highly wasteful.

Global shark populations are being decimated to satisfy the persistent demand for shark fin soup. Shark fin soup is a symbol of wealth and is served at weddings, business dinners and important social engagements within Chinese communities worldwide. The fin trade is a multibillion-dollar industry, rivalled in revenue by illegal drugs and guns.

Sharks fins are popular based on health claims of scientifically unproven benefits. In fact, shark fin can be harmful; studies show that sharks contain among the highest levels of toxic mercury found in fish. Ingestion of mercury can lead to neurological and behavioural disorders, and can cause damage the kidneys and thyroid.

The global populations of this important apex predator are rapidly plummeting as you read this. It is imperative that the destructive practices that kill sharks come to their rightful end. Humans are merely one of the many species coexisting on Earth. We have no right to commit genocide on such a massive scale that it permanently alters the balance of our planet. Each of us must take the responsibility to educate ourselves so that we can avoid purchasing shark products. Now is a crucial time to declare shark sanctuaries and promote shark conservation worldwide before the rulers of the seas disappear forever.

Industrial and commercial fishing methods include

• Longlining

  The use of fishing lines that can be up to 50 miles long, sometimes with baited hooks attached. These attract and kill non-targeted species such as sea turtles, sharks, and seabirds.

• Purse-seining

  The use of a large net to encircle and catch groups of fish. This becomes a problem when non-targeted species are also ensnared or when too many fish are taken for the species to sustain their own populations.

• Gillnetting

  A gillnet is a nearly invisible curtain of netting that floats at the surface or is anchored to the sea floor. Gillnets are commonly used to catch fish but produce large amounts of bycatch.

• Bottom-Trawling

  Trawls are nets that are towed at various depths. Trawl nets are huge and can result in high levels of bycatch. Some super trawler nets have openings that are the size of four soccer fields and can hold thirteen jumbo jets! As the heavy trawl nets are dragged along the ocean bed, they indiscriminately scoop up marine life and damage whole ecosystems. The damage trawling causes on the seafloor can be seen from outer space. Shrimp trawling creates disproportionate harm; shrimp accounts for 2% of all seafood caught, but bottom-trawling for shrimp produces 30% of the world’s bycatch.

• FADs (Fish Aggregating Devices)

  FADs are floating objects that are designed and strategically placed to attract pelagic fish. For centuries, fishermen have taken advantage many pelagic species’ tendency to associate with natural FADs in the open ocean, such as logs, seaweed, coconuts, and other debris. Man-made FADs are made from a variety of materials including ropes and lines that encourage the settlement of marine plants, small crustaceans and mollusks, which in turn attract small fish. In recent years however, advanced technology such as sonar- and GPS have enabled fishermen to electronically monitor FADs and know how many and at what depth the fish are located. These animals are then harvested with seines, hooks, or longlines. Such technological leaps have made commercial fishing operations extremely efficient at harvesting fish.

As coastal fish population decline, fishing fleets must travel further out into the deep seas, where larger fish reside. Nearly half of all trawling happens in 200m deep waters, which are further from the coast and often unregulated.

While individuals cannot solve this global problem of overfishing without the help of international policymakers, we must do what we can, if only for the sake of a peaceful conscience. Our power lies in our consumption choices. Each time you use a dollar, you are voting. With each dollar spent or withheld, you support an industry or help one meet a well-deserved end.

The most effective way you can shape your life into one that doesn’t impair the continuity of marine creatures is to stop buying or consuming seafood. This includes pet food, cosmetics, and supplements made from endangered or unsustainably caught marine creatures.

If you must eat seafood, consume species that are non-threatened and sustainably farmed or harvested. If you are buying seafood, it is your responsibility to inform yourself about sustainable, low-impact options. Every area has a unique situation, so find which of Monterey Bay Aquarium‘s Seafood Watch Guides covers your local area. Download the app or carry the pocket guide around in your wallet for easy use.

The quickly declining fish stocks are an urgent issue that demands immediate and serious action from both consumers and policy-makers. Only with a concerted effort and worldwide response can we ensure the vitality of marine species and wellbeing of the oceans.

In spite of the therapeutic cooling properties of the seas, the seas cannot single-handedly hold off the massive impacts of man-induced climate change. One such effect is the rising sea levels, which create detrimental consequences for marine life and, connectedly, human beings. Thermal expansion of sea water and rapidly melting inland glaciers and continental ice sheets have been causing sea levels to rise at an accelerating rate over the past century. The most extreme warming takes place in the Antarctic Ocean, where some of the largest continental ice sheets are. The melt of Antarctic ice sheets contribute greatly to the rising sea levels.

Dr. James Hansen, the head of NASA’s Goddard Institute, predicts a sea level rise of 15 feet by the year 2100. A sea level rise of even three feet would bring about 100,000,000 climate refugees and would endanger London, Bangkok, Venice, New York, and Shanghai. Considering the fact that more than half the world’s population lives within 37 miles of a shoreline, this puts much of the global population at risk.

Land inundation is already happening. Saline-rich seawater has already flowed 35 miles up the Mekong’s riverbanks in Vietnam’s rice-growing region and is threatening 100,000 hectares of rice. 190 feet of coastline vanish each year in Rasheed, Egypt due to the encroachment of the sea. Bangladesh, often called the “ground zero of climate change”, already produces millions of climate refugees every year as the low-lying country is submerged. Sea level rise threatens 40 island nations with inundation, including the Maldives, Kiribati, and the Solomon Islands.

Rising sea temperatures are an inevitable byproduct of increasing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. These warmer waters threaten the survival of coral reefs, some of Earth’s most productive and diverse ecosystems. Corals can only survive in specific water conditions and are very sensitive to react to changes in temperatures. A minimal rise or fall in water temperatures by 2-3ºC disrupts the symbiotic relationship between a coral and the algae living within its tissues. When the water temperature leaves the range suitable for coral and algae to survive in, the algae is expelled, which causes the coral to turn completely white. This phenomenon is referred to as bleaching.

Most corals can revive themselves after short-term periods of bleaching, but the bleaching process limits their growth, makes them more vulnerable to the elements, and may cause death. In 1998, 16% of the world’s coral reefs perished due to bleaching. Studies in Asia’s oceans show that levels of coral bleaching in 2010 are at the peak since 1998 levels.

Throughout evolution, corals have been able to adapt to environmental changes, but the rapidity and extremity of current changes present a challenge to the adaptability of coral reefs. It is likely that in the next 50 years, CO2 levels in the atmosphere will double. Some believe that even the most optimistic speculations of future CO2 concentrations spell out a disastrous future for coral reefs.

Ocean acidification, yet another problematic effect of climate change, presents a threat to coral reefs. Due increased levels of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere, the oceans are growing increasingly acidic. When CO2 reacts with water, carbonic acid is formed, lowering the pH level.

This causes the calcification of species such as corals, mollusks, and crustaceans; their shells dissolve and they are inhibited them from forming new calcium carbonate. Coral reefs are the nurseries of the seas, and can shelter 1,000 species per square meter. The death of coral reefs affects food security, shoreline protection, marine biodiversity, and tourism.

Research also shows that elevated levels of CO2, acidification, and progressively warm temperatures encourage the growth of turf algae. Turf algae hinders the reproduction and growth of kelp forests, which are one of the most productive and valuable ecosystems on Earth.

While recent years have demonstrated that significant and immediate reduction of greenhouse gases is difficult, it is the only solution that attends to the root cause of climate change. While it is tempting to be defeatist and to feel that the most significant changes depend on the decisions of governmental bodies, giving up and holding an all-or-nothing mindset does not help the situation nor one’s self-respect. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 68% of emissions are affected by national structures, such as the types of industries and large-scale agricultural methods. This may be dispiriting news, but the golden lining is that we as individuals can prevent 32% of total emissions, or about 4,800 pounds of CO2.

It is understandable that some of us may never reach a zero-emission lifestyle due to societal structures and financial constraints, but the shameful fact that Americans emit more greenhouse gases per person than any other country should rouse Americans into taking steps to individually prevent further adverse effects and minimize CO2 levels. There are plenty of resources online that suggest ways in which one can reduce one’s carbon footprint. But if you take one thing from this article, it’s this: Drive less.

The largest cause of net increase in total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions is transportation. In 2013, transportation contributed approximately 27% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

Replace driving whenever possible with your legs, a bicycle, public transportation, or a skateboard. Each mile you do not drive prevents one pound of CO2 pollution. Habituate yourself into the massive behavior change and use transportation sources that reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

Nutrient Pollution

Eutrophication in the marine environment refers to the process during which the oceans receive surplus nutrients that encourage excessive plant growth. The runoff of fertilizers that are used in agriculture may cause phytoplankton and algae to grow in unusual and excessive numbers. These inordinately high populations of phytoplankton and algae reach the ends of their life cycles and settle onto the seabed as decomposing dead matter that consumes large amounts of oxygen during the decomposition process. The resulting lack of oxygen causes local marine animals to either suffocate or leave the area, and the lifeless area becomes a dead zone. There are now 400 dead zones globally, and this number is increasing exponentially.

Sound Pollution

Sound pollution is an invisible but noteworthy form of pollution in the oceans. As the oceans increasingly become used for the transport of goods, the sound environment of the oceans becomes noisier. The cacophonous environment jumbles or smothers the biosonar calls of marine animals that rely on sound for navigating, feeding, and communicating. Sonar, which is often used in military exercises, can hamper the biosonar calls of whales and may cause incorrect navigation and even stranding.

Industrial Pollution

Factories, mining, chemical plants, and the burning of fossil fuels are among the causes of industrial contamination. The toxins and heavy metals resulting from these processes make their way into the oceans and are ingested by marine animals. Since many toxins are persistent, they build at increasing concentrations on their way up the food chain. For this reason, large predators such as sharks carry high levels of methyl mercury, a dangerous neurotoxin.

1. Only purchase cosmetics and cleaning products that made of natural, non- toxic ingredients.
2. Carry your own water bottle, mug, utensils, and reusable bag. Imagine a water bottle filled ¼ of the way with oil. That’s how much oil was used to make the bottle! 
3. Buy products that have the least amount of plastic packaging.
4. Pick up plastic garbage when you see it. Plan a beach clean up for your community.
5. Support organic produce or produce that is grown with non-toxic chemicals. Support companies that are environmentally conscious.

While it’s hard to control the frightening rate of human population growth and the decisions of landholders and construction companies, you can take small steps to support the restoration and protection of coastal habitats.

• Support and donate to the creation of marine parks, biosphere reserves, and Marine Protected Areas, where development is limited and fishing is prohibited.

• Be a conscious consumer. Buy organic produce grown without pesticides, fertilizers, and other toxic chemicals. Carry a sustainable seafood guide so you can choose seafood obtained with nondestructive methods.

• Support legislation that bans the dumping of sewage and chemicals into the oceans.

• Be an ecologically respectful tourist by educating yourself on the impact your mode of recreation may have on local ecosystems. Ask your dive shop, tour guide, or tour boat what steps they take to insure a no-impact experience.

Many species become extinct before there is time to preserve them. The endangered species approach to biodiversity conservation cannot completely and effectively prevent extinction because the populations of species often cannot be calculated. Marine protected areas and preserves have proven to increase populations of endangered species. Earth’s biodiversity may be irreparably lost unless effective and substantial policies and individual activism are instigated.

• Support the creation and maintenance of marine protected areas (MPAs), nature reserves, and national parks. Public foundations or state and federal governments are often responsible for the management of parks and reserves. Let these know that you advocate nature reserves, MPAs, and national parks. When visiting a protected area, obey the wildlife code. Follow fire regulations and don’t take anything away that you didn’t bring in.

• Volunteer with an organization that protects or replants threatened species in your area. By replanting native bush, flowers, and trees, you are encouraging native animals to return and are providing them with more space in which to live.

• Get your voice heard through websites, radio stations, newspapers, and publications. Talk about threatened species and what we can do to help preserve them and their habitats.