Due to their glacial reproductive rate, sharks are highly vulnerable to sustained fishing. One can devise all manner of important-sounding ecological reasons why sharks should be protected. The truth is, we still don't fully understand the nature and extent of sharks' role in marine ecosystems.

Indeed, the scariest consequence of eliminating sharks from the sea is our own ignorance about what would happen. Sharks are clearly important as marine predators and scavengers, but we do not know what effect their removal is likely to have. We may not like it. Anyone who says otherwise is speculating far beyond the available data.

Rather than construct a pseudo-scientific smokescreen, I prefer a more philosophical answer to the question: sharks should be protected because a world with them is more interesting and diverse than one without. The choice is up to
us.

Submitted by
Richard Martin, Director
ReefQuest Shark Research Program
Website: www.reefquest.com