Sharks play an important role in controlling the fish population and the spread of diseases.
Oakley explains, “I like to think sharks act as the health inspector of
the sea. It’s like this: When we’re ill, we see a doctor. Normally,
when fishes are ill, they just die or become prey for sharks.
Now that there are less sharks, we find that there are more sick fishes
in our nets. So we end up eating sick fishes. You can’t possibly have a
healthy marine life when you kill 100 million of its main predator
every year.”
He says sharks learn to recognise divers and researchers. He recalls
photographing underwater marine life one time when he noticed his dive
buddy laughing. When he turned around, he saw a huge shark swimming
away. His dive buddy later told him that the shark swam above him a few
times. “It’s as though the shark was curious to see what I was
photographing.”
Passionate about shark conservation, Oakley presents a dismal account
of the dwindling shark population currently: “In some places, there
aren’t any sharks left. It’s not that they are extinct.
There just aren’t many of them in certain places.”
The main reason for this dire situation is overfishing. Oakley
explains: “Before, shark’s fin soup was a delicacy which few could
afford. Since China started becoming wealthy, the demand for this dish
has increased.”
“In any given place, where there used to be 100 sharks, now there may
be two. What’s more, sharks will only mate with their own species.”
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