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From a conservation standpoint, however, there is much
to celebrate. Modern-day research into sharks truly stands
on the shoulders of giants who pioneered the study of these
enigmatic species. Countless groups of researchers spend
significant time at sea, in conference meeting halls, behind
closed doors and on the heated policy frontlines to collect
data and craft policies designed to implement protective
measures and sustainable strategies for shark management.
A great example of their accomplishments can be seen in
the recent success of the white shark, which is showing
signs of recovery on both the east and west coasts of the
United States, according to research published this year.
Today people can track the daily movements of tagged
sharks in real time from their smartphones. A variety
of corporations — even sunglasses companies — are
donating to support shark conservation. Researchers
continue to make unbelievable discoveries in places such
as the deep sea, where a new species of shark is described
every few weeks on average. We still know almost nothing
about these species or the status of their populations, and
their existence remains overshadowed by the large and
sexy “A-list” species.
Great progress has been made in recovering shark
populations in many regions and for several species, but
don’t let the commercials, news stories or movies fool you.
The number of sharks along our coasts is not suddenly
increasing. Indeed, there have been important regional
conservation wins, but the issue is truly global — a point
highlighted by the government of Western Australia,
which last year used lethal shark-control measures to
mitigate a spike in shark attacks that occurred over the
past several years. While their concerns may be real, such
measures will not remedy the issue.
In stories of negative encounters between sharks and
humans, humans tend to be the losers, so it is easy to
see why we may perceive an apparent rise in shark
encounters as evidence of the animals’ increased
abundance, but there are no scientific data to prove this
correlation. This discrepancy between perception and
reality shows that shark conservation is as much a social
issue as it is ecological.
While public attitudes and policies related to the status
of sharks may change over time, the animal’s slow-growing
nature and low reproductive output will not. We still eat
them, but great strides are being made to curb the demand
for shark-related products. Education and awareness are still
paramount, and we should continue to stand up for sharks
and serve as leaders in our communities. With effective
outreach and research combined with efforts to dispel
incorrect information, sharks may continue their rise into the
stratosphere of popular culture and may one day recover and
flourish in oceans around the world once again.
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