Week of the Shark

‘A Shark Tail’ © Dan Callister

Sharks are probably one of the most vilified species on the planet. Unfortunately sharks are the least protected but are greatly needed to manage the complex ecosystems below the surface. Without apex predators the system fails and the delicate balance is lost. We have witnessed the disappearance of White Sharks in South African waters. Shark boat operators noticed a decline as early as 2011 and repeatedly warned of an impending population implosion. Government aligned scientists will parrot displacement theory by the infamous Orcas Port and Starboard. Independent scientists and conservationists have been warning for over a decade that overfishing by demersal longliners were decimating prey species that white sharks and other species depend on. Since the 1950s, the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board (KZNSB) has used shark nets and drumlines in an effort to reduce shark encounters at public beaches. These devices were introduced as a safety measure, but decades of data show they kill more marine life than they protect. Over 1,000 great white sharks have died in the nets, along with dolphins, turtles, rays, whales, and numerous endangered species. We are now seeing a perfect storm of an un-balanced ecosystem. The cape fur seal population has increased, disease running through colonies is unchecked. Fur Seals are also preying on the critically endangered African penguin, where they will rip open the penguin’s stomach to feed on any fish contents. The loss of white shark tourism has negatively impacted many communities including Mossel Bay, Gansbaai, False Bay and Gqeberha on the Eastern Cape. About 70% of the world's oxygen comes from the ocean. Without apex predators such as the shark, our increasingly fragile oceans will likely collapse.