Shark Conservation

Why Sharks Are Needed

As the top predators in almost every part of every ocean, sharks play a pivitol role in maintaining balance and bio-diversity of marine populations.

If sharks were to become depleted or removed through unnatural causes, this could very likely result the destabalisation of many other ecosystems and result in the depletion of healthy fish populations. A healthy eco-system cannot survive without it's apex predator.

Sharks are vulnerable as they are generally slow growing creatures with low reproductive capacities. This means that high levels of unnatural deaths can quickly push shark populations to the brink of collapse and ultimately extinction.

Shark Conservation

One of the best ways to promote shark conservation is by education. Conservation-minded shark documentaries and movies have proven very effective (Great White Shark – A Living Legend, Sharkman, Beyond The Cage of Fear and Shark Nights).

South Africa was the first country to protect the Great White Shark, but even now the Marine and Coastal Management still issues permits to the Natal Sharks Board allowing them to use Gill nets / Shark nets to target sharks, especially the Great White Shark. The Shark Board’s "protection through eradication" policy has led to huge, irrevocable and untold destruction of animal life along the Southern African coastline.

The use of shark nets is economically motivated because towns where shark nets are present are more popular and, therefore, more profitable as tourist destinations than towns without nets. Through research done by Marine and Coastal Management (MCM) and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in 2004 the Great White Shark got a C.I.T.E.S appendix 2 listing, meaning these animals are vulnerable and emphasizes the need for White Shark products to be monitored and declared. The Great White Shark is the first predatory fish to get a C.I.T.E.S appendix 2 status.

What We Do

We educate people, so that they are more informed and hopefully lose their fear of these magnificent predators. We do this by way of documentaries, worldwide educational talks, conferences and Shark Cage Diving. We are making them worth more alive than dead and we support all legitimate research done by Marine and Coastal Management (MCM) free of charge.

What Can You Do?

Don’t buy shark products! Report suspicious activities and document them with photos – you can send these to the MCM, Newspapers or Shark Cage Diving Company. Dive with them, experience them and educate yourself so that you in turn can teach others about sharks.