What comes in mind when one hears the word "shark"? For me, it would signal the beginning of the Jaws theme song. You know, that low toned two-note repeats over and over again. And then, in the danger of the music, I find myself thinking of the shark from the movie "Finding Nemo". "Fish are friends, not food." I think that is exactly what sharks are like. If you don't bother them, they won't harm you in any way. In fact, they are very misunderstood creatures.
During the documentary film "Sharkwater" that we watched in class (but I sadly missed out on), there was a black and white film teaching viewers how to protect themselves against shark attacks. Although the PSA (if I may call it that) dealt with a serious matter. I cannot help but laugh at their suggestions. The advise that stood out most for me was to beat the water and make noise. That got me thinking: "Wouldn't that just attract unnecessary attention?" You began floating in the middle of the ocean peacefully and then you make yourself an easy target. Why can we not treat sharks as any other fish? Beautiful, graceful and harmless until you agitate it.
As for the matter of the shark fins ban. I am glad they had enforced it. Sharks do not deserve to be killed just for their fins, which is only 4% of their body weight. Nothing should ever be killed unless there is a use for it and unless it is known that the impact would not be great.
