Shark Angels

The scattered light and weird silhouettes created by the stacked pilings that once supported Mala Pier made it difficult to distinguish what was real and what was a trick of the light. I strained my eyes trying to see the animal my divemaster had indicated was hiding there. As I inched along the sandy bottom, the outline of the magnificent being began to appear. I could see her oblong body, pointed dorsal fin, rounded snout, and, finally, her pinprick black eyes looking right at me. Any fears I may have had on land were forgotten as I gazed at this beauty. I just got close enough to have a good view and in an instant she was gone, swimming further into the shadows. Most of my encounters with sharks have been like this. There and then gone.  

Much of the world fears sharks, but as divers we seek them out because they are truly beautiful animals. Tragically, 10,000 sharks are killed every hour for tacky souvenirs, fillers in foods, and makeup products. This is a travesty, not only because these creatures are amazing to behold, but because their existence guarantees ours. Sharks are apex predators who regulate our ecosystems and keep our oceans thriving. Our oceans are a huge source of food and they produce more oxygen than all of the forests in the world combined. Whether you love sharks or find them terrifying, this is not a light matter. We need sharks.

Shark Angels is an advocacy group focused on grassroots campaigns and educating the public to encourage individuals to make a difference and get others to join them. In addition to being the founder and executive director of Shark Angels, Julie Andersen is a SCUBAPRO Ambassador and Marketing Representative, and I had the pleasure of meeting her at the SCUBAPRO Platinum Meeting in March. There was no missing her passion for these animals. At the meeting, there was an extremely interesting presentation about new research surrounding shark repellents. The moment Julie heard “shark” she was beaming and she moved to the absolute edge of her chair to be that much closer to the conversation surrounding the creatures she loves so much. Shark Angels reflects that love and passion in its mission and dedication to affecting change.

Shark Angels provides us with a multitude of ways to reduce the number of sharks that are killed for our consumption, starting with becoming a Shark Angel and taking the pledge to not support businesses that sell shark products, increasing your shark IQ and teaching others the value of sharks, standing up for sharks and reporting any mistreatment, and, if possible, go meet a shark! Another way to save sharks is to “know what you are buying” and “be smart when you are eating seafood.” Shark is sometimes disguised with names like rock salmon or whitefish and “½ of the 73,000,000 sharks caught yearly are caught as by-catch,” meaning they are caught in commercial fishermen’s nets intended for other fish. Many people do not know but Squalene, or shark liver oil, is used in cosmetics; you can make a difference by “keeping sharks out of your cosmetics.” An individual person can affect change and it is important that you do.

Sharks are killed regularly for their fins; “a single Whale Shark pectoral fin can sell for up to $100,000 USD.”  Imagine being ripped out of your home and dragged across the deck of a boat, then having your appendages removed with a blazing-hot sharp blade and then being tossed into the ocean to die a slow painful death. This is unacceptable, and I urge you to take some time on the Shark Angel’s website learning what you can do to save these incredible animals.