Sharks in the media

The media and film industry have and will continue to shape the public’s perception of sharks. Sharks immediately evoke emotions, sometimes good, and most often fueled by fear and horror. And that makes for great headlines. The dilemma we have faced for years is that to save sharks, we must change people’s perception of the animals.

We must be realistic - sensationalistic monster shark movies are here to stay. They are massively popular and, in many cases, fun to watch. If sharks continue to be used to fuel this highly profitable industry, then care should be taken that the animals benefit. Instead of fighting popular media, we must figure out how to leverage this fascination and use it to build greater understanding and support for the protection of sharks.