Protecting sharks

Sharks were once abundant in every part of the ocean, but the last decades have been disastrous for shark populations. Likely, great whites, tiger sharks, great hammerhead sharks, and many other species will soon be so rare that one has to travel to a few distant and remote locations for the chance to see one. On land, national parks, forests, and protected areas are success stories of conservation. Unfortunately, in the ocean, such areas are much harder to establish. “Sight unseen” is the tragedy that causes us to wait much too long before we protect a reef and before there is enough support and resolve to create protected areas.

There is an important relationship between sharks and locations where they are safe from fishing. 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 every part of the marine ecosystem. Protected areas get an economic boost from 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.

The solutions vary depending on the location. In some areas, a fully protected area can be set aside, in others, a mixed-use approach is more practical. In all cases, it takes the cooperation of many organizations, community groups, funders, and government entities. It is a complex and monumental task to protect more of the ocean, but the urgency has finally reached global attention, as countries join in a collective goal to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030.