The Mermaid, her Project Mermaid X and thoughts over an inexpensive, non- shark fin soup

The Mermaid, her Project Mermaid X and thoughts over an inexpensive, non- shark fin soup

As an ocean loyalist young mermaid perched over her soup, she looked over the oceans and felt she needed to advocate for the 400-million-year existence of her protectors and her shark species friends. The sharks who kept so much of her home, when she was not attending land-based meetings, being the ocean beds balanced, safe and beautiful. Shark heritage reminded her of land icons like Mandela, Obama and Fidel Castro alike. All shark species were her friends, and she knew she was going to use her voice to defend their rights as do for all in the waters. She would stop at nothing even if it meant working with the allure of her flowing, shiny locks and beautiful unicorn colored, mother of pearl tail scales as a distraction for her cause.

An ocean rights activist, no shark as rightful owners too of the seas were “going to suffer on her rock” she thought out loud. So, she called a few media friends on the shores and had a press briefing. On the day of the media gathering which included Sea Advocates, Fisheries C-suites, Maritime lawyers and the Seaspiracy Documentary makers, the beautiful mermaid took to the podium to state her case on behalf of her shark friends:

Sharks have unfortunately fallen victim to the man-hungry stereotype society has created for them. We consider this the “Jaws”. However, in reality, sharks are some of the world’s most misunderstood animals. There are more than 350 distinct species of sharks that vary in size, diet and habitat, but the vast majority are harmless to humans. In fact, nearly two-thirds of all shark attacks involve just three species— white, tiger and bull. The reality is that humans are the true top predators of the sea, killing more than 100 million sharks each year in fisheries, while sharks mistakenly kill between five and 15 people during that same period. Scientists estimate that fishing has reduced large predatory fish populations worldwide by 90 percent over the past 50 to 100 years. Sharks now represent the largest group of threatened marine species on the World Conservation Union’s (IUCN) Red List of threatened species. Yet only three of the 350 shark species — basking, whale and white — are protected from the pressures of international trade. The remaining species are ignored or seen as low priorities despite their vulnerability to overfishing and their important role in their ecosystems.

Shark Finning The practice of shark finning kills 26 to 73 million sharks each year for their fins - Once reserved as a delicacy and a sign of prestige in Asian cultures, shark fin soup consumption is on the rise. Because a bowl of soup can cost up to $100, the fins are the most economically valuable part of a shark. And since shark carcasses are bulky, take up space and are worth less money, the practice of removing the fins and throwing the bleeding carcasses overboard is far too common. This practice, known as “shark finning,” only uses between one and five percent of the shark. Furthermore, without the bodies, it is nearly impossible for fisheries managers and scientists to accurately identify the species and determine the number of sharks that are being killed.

Bycatch Some fisheries directly target sharks as their intended catch, but other fisheries capture sharks incidentally as “bycatch”, a term used for unintended catch. Unwanted sharks are then thrown overboard, with many of them left dead or injured. Trawl fisheries are responsible for the largest bycatch numbers in coastal areas, while longlines capture the majority of sharks as bycatch on the high seas. It is estimated that tens of millions of sharks are caught as bycatch each year, which is nearly half of the total shark catch worldwide. These startling numbers demonstrate the extreme threat that commercial fisheries pose to the survival of these top predators. Remarkably, bycatch estimates fail to appear in most fishery statistics, resulting in the continued mismanagement of shark bycatch. Although removing top predators can have different effects on various ocean communities, an increasing number of studies have detected large-scale effects on ocean ecosystems, often called “cascades.” The following case studies from around the globe show that the removal of apex shark species can have unpredictable and devastating consequences on marine ecosystems.

Surveys show that the abundance of the 11 great sharks (sharks more than two meters in length) along the eastern coast of the United States has declined to levels of functional elimination. This means that the sharks are now unable to perform their ecological role as top predators. All of the species in this area, except for the mako, have declined by more than 50 percent in the past eight to 15 years. Scalloped hammerhead, white and thresher shark abundances are estimated to have declined by more than 75 percent in the past 15 years. During this same period, their prey — 12 species of rays, skates and smaller sharks — have increased in abundance by as much as ten-fold. The effect of this decline has cascaded throughout the entire ecosystem, resulting in the collapse of a centuryold scallop fishery. The species that increased most in abundance was the cownose ray, which migrates up and down the eastern coast consuming scallops, clams and oysters. By 2004, bivalve predation by cownose rays had removed most of the bay scallops, terminating the North Carolina fishery. Without bay scallops to eat, the cownose ray, along with other rays, skates and small sharks, is expected to expand its foraging to clams and oysters. This has already been seen with the loss of another bivalve, a hard clam known as the Quahog. The decline of the Quahog, a key ingredient in clam chowder, is forcing many restaurants to remove this American classic from their menus. The disappearance of scallops and clams demonstrates that the elimination of sharks can cause harm to the economy in addition to ecosystems. Shifts in species abundance are not the only consequence of removing top predators, as habitats also can be altered. Hungry rays roaming the waters and hunting for food have the potential of uprooting seagrass at higher rates, leading to poorer quality nursery grounds for fish. Additionally, bivalves are not only a food source for rays, but a filtration system for the ocean. Bivalves feed on phytoplankton that they filter from the water column, which helps maintain a high level of water quality. With the decline in scallops, clams and other bivalves, this filtration system is disappearing. As a result, already stressed coastal areas could experience additional uncontrolled algal blooms and dead zones, damaging ocean ecosystems. Tiger shark intimidation alters the spatial distribution of their prey and structures the dynamics of the seagrass community. In Shark Bay, Australia, dugongs and green sea turtles, which are common tiger shark prey, alter their habitat selection based on the presence of tiger sharks. This creates a trade-off between safety and food quality for the species. Tiger sharks also intimidate and affect the location of species that are relatively rare in their diet, such as bottlenose dolphins and pied cormorants. Dugongs prefer the nutritious seagrass found in the middle of large grassy patches, but it is very difficult to escape from a tiger shark in these locations. When tiger shark abundance is high, dugongs feed on the lower quality seagrass located near a patch’s edge, thereby reducing their risk of predation. Dugongs alter their distribution on a daily basis depending on the number and location of sharks in the area. When grazing, dugongs remove the entire seagrass plant, altering the composition and structure of the seagrass meadow, the nutrient content of the plant and the detrital structure of the system. By forcing dugongs to change their habitat selection, tiger sharks keep grazing in check, which in turn keeps the seagrass at relatively constant levels. Tiger sharks are indirectly controlling the structure of seagrass beds and, ultimately, bottom communities. Sharks as apex predators can regulate species abundance, distribution, and diversity, which in turn can impact the health of marine habitats. Additionally, they provide essential food sources for scavengers and remove the sick and weak from populations of prey species. The decimation of these important shark species can have cascading effects throughout the ecosystems they inhabit, resulting in economically and ecologically devastating consequences. Unfortunately, sharks have been eliminated from so many parts of the ocean that we now have very few good examples that explicitly document their importance to ocean ecosystems. Nevertheless, as the examples of the Northwest Hawaiian Islands and Palymyra show, ecosystems that we consider healthy — the last marine wilderness areas — contain large numbers of sharks. On the other hand, some studies show what the oceans will look like without sharks. Economically important fisheries shut down. Coral reefs shift to algae dominated systems. Seagrass beds in decline. Ecological chain reactions set in motion. Species diversity and abundance declines with the loss of habitats. And the list goes on...

Protecting sharks and allowing their populations to recover is essential to restoring the health of our oceans. After the beautiful Mermaid the stated data as sourced from credible resources, the media and audiences silent rose to their feet and burst into a roaring applause.

While the lovely mermaid basked in the admiration of the moment she stood for her friends, she went on to say that if was for these reasons too that she decided to embark on a Sea-Food tech company and which she knows can play a part in saving the oceans. At this moment the Seaspiracy Documentary maker dashed onto the stage to give the beautiful advocate mermaid a big embrace.

Now now, she blushed out loud, I don’t want anyone thinking my advocacy has to do with something romantic she laughed on. The audience and press briefing ending with lots of smiles, engagement and over a non-shark fin soup starter. The food bill being substantially less for these reasons.

The End