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They say that even bad publicity is good publicity. This is not the case, however, for the misunderstood shark. This incredibly complex and captivating ocean predator has been plagued by bad publicity for years, contributing to an unfortunate situation that has hampered conservation efforts and put its very survival in danger.

Sharks have been represented by media outlets as oceanic villains- the bad guys to be defeated or the monsters to be eliminated. However this is exactly the opposite of what we should be doing, as we need these top predators present in the oceans to maintain healthy and stabile marine ecosystems. A general fear and low public awareness, coupled with an overall lack of scientific data and political will, has led us down a dangerous path for the future of sharks and our oceans.

Sharks have historically had low economic value in most countries. And as research priorities are often linked to the economic value that fisheries yield, relatively little research has been carried out on sharks and today there remains large knowledge gaps on their life history, geographical distribution, migration paths, sustainable exploitation levels, and commercial trade patterns. Nevertheless, we do know that the over 500 shark and over 600 related ray species are found in all waters of the globe, from cold arctic waters to warm tropical seas. In general, they grow slowly, are long lived, and produce few young- a dangerous combination in these days of insatiable industrial fishing, as many populations are unable to recover from high levels of exploitation. Today, sharks are primarily caught without limit in targeted fisheries, but they are also incidentally taken in fisheries targeting other species. Approximately 200 million sharks and related rays are killed each year due to fishing practices.

This report provides an overview of shark characteristics while highlighting their uniqueness and importance in the marine world. The many threats faced by these animals today are also detailed, and methods to ensure their future survival are presented.