Sharks, as apex predators, are crucial for maintaining the health of ocean ecosystems, yet they face extinction due to practices like shark finning and bycatch. Misconceptions and fear perpetuated by media have led to a lack of conservation efforts, despite the significant role sharks play in providing food and oxygen for humans. Rising awareness, educational initiatives, and advocacy for banning shark fin soup are essential steps towards saving sharks and ensuring the stability of marine environments.

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4. Honed to perfection

5. Nature ’ s most successful design Control 2/3 ’ s of the planet Have survived 5 major extinctions – have lasted 100 times longer than man Relatively unstudied - we still know very little about them Increasingly important to tourism – millions of $ Biology incredibly unique Keep our oceans healthy and bio-diverse Have 7 highly evolved senses Learn quickly & constantly adapting Magnificent predators to be respected and revered.

6. Over 500 unique species Whale sharks: the world ’ s largest fish feeds on plankton (50 feet) Frilled sharks: one of the oldest and most unusual species Angel sharks: hide in the sand and are bottom-feeders Dwarf lanternshark: smallest shark (6 inches) Great White: perhaps the most famous, and one of the few implicated in attacks on humans Saw sharks: slender shark with saw-like snout that finds and slashes prey. Long ‘ barbel ’ s are electro-sensitive to find prey.

8. Sharks are critically important Sharks are the apex predators of almost every ocean habitat At the top of the food chain, sharks keep our oceans healthy They have groomed other species for millions of years and keep them in check Our oceans supply a major source of food and oxygen to us and remove carbon dioxide (global warming gas)

10. Should we fear sharks?

11. So why do we love to hate sharks? Fear of the unknown – vicious, indiscriminate, unpredictable bloodthirsty predators Media feeds us mis-truths building our fears We LOVE our monsters! Of 500 species – only 10 have been associated with the rare attacks on humans Our irrational fear of sharks explains our lack of desire to conserve them.

13. Fiction Fact Fact

15. Sharks are facing extinction We are witnessing the first round of ocean extinction Our impact on the ocean in the last 50 years is devastating – pollution, overfishing, habitat destruction 90% of some shark species have been destroyed Demand for shark is at an all time high – trade goes global – and underground Even marine reserves are target of illegal fisheries No species are internationally protected Predators … ... Or Prey?

16. The numbers are haunting Sharks are being chased to extinction because their fins are currently valuable 97 to 99% of regional populations of certain shark species are already gone 23% of all sharks species are endangered (World Conservation Union) 42% of Mediterranean shark species are endangered Shark populations are plummeting

17. Why should we care? The oceans are the most important ecosystem on the planet That life is kept healthy by sharks: apex predators The oceans - our life support systems - are being destroyed We are threatening our own source of food and oxygen in an unprecedented way We are (again!) running a large scale experiment on our planet without understanding the implications We are killing sharks at an unsustainable rate

19. Sharkfinning: sharks’ greatest threat Cruel practice of slicing off fins – then dumping fish 95% of fish is wasted – fin is most valuable Millions of tons of shark fin harvested per year – and growing Used as a tasteless ingredient in a social status soup Demand continues to increase while supply plummets World-wide problem fueled by greed Indiscriminate practice: all ages, sex & species killed Sharks are disappearing without us even noticing or caring

21. Shark fin soup driving demand Shark fin soup is a sign of prosperity and respect in Asia The vitality of the Chinese economy has driven demand for shark fin soup Shark fin soup costs as much as $100 a bowl Shark fins are surpassed in cost only by such foods as some caviar and truffles Dried shark fins cost anywhere from $100 to $300 per pound A single Whale Shark pectoral fin can sell for up to $15,000 The shark fin market alone causes upwards of 73 million shark deaths each year

23. Myths that kill sharks MYTH: Sharks fin soup: a sign of prosperity FACT: Prosperity only for the mafia-like trading firms MYTH: Sharks fin soup tastes great FACT: Shark fin has no taste MYTH: Shark cartilage cures arthritis, cancer, HIV FACT: Research indicates it is ineffective & shark products contain high concentrations of highly poisonous mercury MYTH: Sharks don ’ t get sick FACT: Sharks get cancer and tumors

25. Bycatch is a huge problem Bycatch = in fishing, the unintended catch of species other than the ‘target’ species An estimated 50 million sharks are caught as bycatch each year Sharks are 25% of the total catch in the Australia long line tuna and billfish fishery and Fiji long line tuna fishery. Sharks are 32% of the Hawaii-based long line swordfish catch.

26. Sharks are especially vulnerable As apex predator, with few natural predators, sharks have evolved with a slow reproduction rate Most species take years to reach sexual maturity (sometimes over 12 years) They raise relatively few pups a year (sometimes only 2) In contrast, bony fish reach sexual maturity in months & lay millions of eggs No other fish is in as much danger of over-exploitation because of the value of shark fins Highly migratory – yet none are protected internationally People don ’ t care about them – media influence Lack of data – we don ’ t know how big the problem is Consumers are largely unaware of the issue – soup translates as “fish wing” in Chinese

28. Life without sharks? Loss of the apex predator can un-cork havoc in the ocean environment Sharks control countless populations of fish species, including other predators Phytoplankton-feeding fish populations are likely to increase and consume more phytoplankton Phytoplankton produces 50-70% of earth ’ s oxygen More than all the trees and forests and jungles combined What happens to us when our source of oxygen declines? Loss of sharks will have unpredictable impact on our sea food Recent regional reports indicate dramatic and undesirable effects of local destruction of sharks – collapse of the mid-Atlantic scallop fisheries and death of coral reefs in Belize

29. Changing the mindset … Changing our future.

30. The best shark conservation tool we have.

31. Shark angels www.sharkangels.com Join Rob on a new adventure…

32. Making a Difference

33. Will we save our sharks? Recent positive media released to counter balance myths Countries instituting national sharkfinning bans Younger Asian generation refusing shark fin soup Education, awareness and compassion is growing Shark tournaments starting to be shunned Local campaigns sprouting Conservation organizations uniting The movement is gaining momentum

35. Shark Savers aim to: Reduce demand for shark fins through education Improve the image of sharks End the practice of sharkfinning globally Raise awareness about threats to sharks Increase global pressure and legislation Be positively oriented – conservation and sharks can be cool Promote responsible fishing practices Join us in the critical fight to save ourselves. to save sharks

36. The movement is growing … But much work is left to be done.

37. What you can do Get involved. Join Shark Savers. Increase your Shark IQ: Learn more about sharks and the issue. Volunteer your time. Start a local campaign to ban shark fin soup. Get in the water with sharks! Dive with them. Increase shark tourism. Encourage everyone you know to see Sharkwater . Reduce fishing pressures: eat sensibly. (Use seafood choice cards). Fight for bycatch reduction legislation. Support shark research.

38. The sharks need your help Become a shark advocate – correct misconceptions and promote realistic perceptions. Do not support Yahoo (Alibaba sells shark fins) – or any organizations that support sharkfinning or fishing tournaments. Develop a voice. Be heard. Blog, write articles, appeal to your local media outlets. Pressure your local, national and even our international governing bodies to get involved. Combat the myths. Don’t support media outlets that portray sharks erroneously. Protect our reserves: keep illegal shark fishing out of Galapagos and Cocos Islands.

39. Join our fight to save the sharks www.sharksavers.org

44. To learn more: Shark Savers : www.sharksavers.org Saving Sharks: www.savingsharks.com Sea Shepherd : www.seashepherd.org Save Our Seas : www.saveourseas.com WildAid : www.wildaid.org Shark Trust : www.sharktrust.org Shark Alliance : www.sharkalliance.org Conserve Our Ocean Legacy: ww.oceanlegacy.org Oceana: www.oceana.org Shark Savers supports these organizations

45. Save our Sharks NOW.