There is an important relationship between sharks and marine protected areas. When an area is protected, shark numbers can recover. When shark numbers are plentiful, the protected area increases in health because as top predators they are a key element in the balance between predator species and prey, which also affects the health of coral reefs, seagrass beds and everything that is part of a thriving marine ecosystem. Marine Protected Areas get an economic boost by the popularity of sharks - divers pay top dollars for an opportunity to dive with sharks. The fact is that protecting sharks and creating MPAs is a smart idea, no matter how you look at it. This section highlights only a few of the most well-known spots on this planet. There are many more regions that could benefit as much or more if they followed these successful examples.
You can find many scientific papers and articles about the impact of sharks in our Science and Research Section under the header THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTHY SHARK POPULATIONS and THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF SHARKS