Sharkwater

Documentary on the shark fin industry and the killing of sharks. Discusses how shark numbers are dwindling and not a lot is being done to protect sharks despite the fact that they are recognized as being endangered. The filmmaker is very passionate about sharks and has spent a lot of time with them in the water, and in this film he questions human perceptions about sharks and tries to prove that they really aren't dangerous. This leads us to ask why people are so afraid of sharks, and maybe this fear is partially why little is being done to protect these animals. The shark fin industry is ruthless and extremely wasteful (the shark is killed for its fins and the rest of the body is thrown back in the water). Why is China holding on so tightly to this 'delicacy', and why have so many other countries become involved in supplying the fins? I found it fascinating how sharks were one of the first mammals on earth (they were here 150 million years before dinosaurs), and the importance they hold in the ocean: being the top predator, they effect all life below them. Several people who are involved in the shark fin industry were interviewed, and they all come off as being extremely ignorant. One man who is a shark hunter simply kills as many great white sharks as he can, and believes that he is saving peoples lives by doing this, to prevent shark attacks. (The film also goes into great detail on how exaggerated the risk of shark attacks is). This film is a reminder of just how difficult it is to regulate what is going on in the oceans, and often laws aren't effective to protect species.