Sharks are Jawsome!

This past Sunday was the perfect end to shark week for me.   Harbor WildWatch went to Seattle Aquarium and had the privilege of listening to Jeff Christiansen talk about the aquarium’s research on Six Gill Sharks, found right here in Puget Sound.   Now that shark week is over, I admit to my love/hate relationship with this television phenomena.  On the one hand, I love it because sharks are one of my favorite animals. They are prehistoric, have teeth-like scales called denticles, and have no bones!  On the other hand, I detest this spectacle because of the constant focus on everything related to shark attacks.  This year’s lineup especially delivered to those who crave the danger and violence often associated with sharks. However, most programs lacked a science-based approach and failed to showcase the beauty and mystery of these creatures. Words like serial killers, cold-blooded killing machines, blood-thirsty, and man-eaters should be replaced with words that realistically describe them.   How about majestic, graceful, curious, or fascinating? These better describe the animals I fell in love with during my first job in the marine science field.

Before my career at Harbor WildWatch began, I had the privilege of being an aquarist at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. One of my favorite tasks was to feed the large tropical sharks in the South Pacific Ocean Aquarium. It was fascinating to watch the sharks’ behavior as soon as food hit the water...

 Within 60 seconds, every shark, (including the typically sedentary nurse sharks who spend almost 24 hours a day at the bottom sleeping) is up and swimming to the designated feeding area.  The sharks are trained where to eat to avoid competition and ensure each shark gets its own nutritious meal. After the fish, squid, or shrimp are carefully distributed, the sharks almost immediately resume normal behavior. Their swimming and breathing slows.  The nurse sharks gather on the bottom once again to sleep off their large meal. The Sand Tiger Shark returns to lazily meander the curves of the tank.  Even the Lemon shark (easily the largest fish in the tank at 400lbs and 9 feet in length) settles down to the bottom to attract the devotion of a cleaner wrasse to pick scraps out of her teeth.  It is an orderly and efficient occurrence that is over as quickly as it begins.

As I survey this year’s shark week lineup, I can’t help but wonder if the visitors who go to watch shark feeding events at aquariums are disappointed at how uneventful the whole ordeal is. Perhaps years of watching shark attack survivors recount their stories forces visitors to expect a frenzy of violence – yet that is not what they witness.  Popular television has portrayed sharks as man-eating killers, but my observation is that these magnificent creatures do not fit that part. In fact, there are a number other animals (and objects) that are much more dangerous than sharks – deer, ants and even vending machines to name a few.  Check out this list http://www.buzzfeed.com/awesomer/20-things-that-kill-more-people-than-sharks-every

So why does it bother me that sharks are portrayed as killing machines? Because sharks around the world are in trouble.  Sharks are hunted for sport, meat, and most often, for their valuable fins. Shark populations have drastically dropped, some by 90% for species targeted by shark finning.  Additionally, millions of sharks are caught each year in nets and long lines as by-catch, (animals caught unintentionally in a fishery while intending to catch other fish).Sharks are particularly vulnerable because of their low reproductive rates and the fact that these animals take many years to reach sexual maturity.  The most common species found in Puget Sound, the Spiny Dogfish, takes more than 15 years to be able to reproduce! And even then, they only produce 10-15 young every other year.  Sharks are worth protecting.  As apex predators, they help to keep fish populations healthy, much the same way a pride of lions strengthens the herd of zebra by preying on the old, weak and diseased.     

 There are many organizations around the world that are dedicated to protecting all shark species. Organizations like Shark Savers and Support Our Sharks are working to educate citizens of the world on the importance of a healthy shark population in the oceans.

Here are a few ways you can help protect sharks around the world:  

·         Avoid products that contain shark liver oil (cosmetics & lotions)

·         Purchase seafood that is caught sustainably.

·         Support marine sanctuaries around the world thatas act as feeding and breeding grounds for many sharks.

·         Learn more about the shark finning industry and what you can do to help.

So if you enjoyed shark week this year, I urge you to take the many feeding frenzies and shaky-camera angles of attack scenes with a grain of salt. Instead, consider what I I believe to be a fear far worse than a shark attack--- that one day, the only sharks left will be those that exist in aquariums.

Harbor WildWatch distributes seafood watch cards from the Monterey Bay Aquarium to help local residents make informed seafood choices. You can pick one up at our booth at the Skansie Farmer’s Markets on Wednesdays or the Summer Sounds Concerts on Tuesdays evenings.