#095 Fighting the Myths and Nets that Threaten Our Sharks with Izabela Sajdok

My connection to sharks began, ironically, with fear. Like many others, I watched Jaws as a teenager and internalised the narrative of sharks as killers. When I first encountered a shark—a wobbegong, calmly passing beneath me during a snorkel—it left me both mesmerised and terrified. That moment pushed me to better understand sharks instead of fearing them.The more I dove, the more that fear dissolved. Sharks aren’t lurking monsters. They are intelligent, responsive animals with critical roles in our ecosystems. As apex predators, sharks help regulate marine life, removing sick or weak individuals and preventing overpopulation that can threaten coral reefs. Yet we kill around 100 million sharks each year, largely for their fins, often discarding the rest of their bodies while they’re still alive. This practice, driven by status-oriented demand for shark fin soup, is cruel and wasteful.Sharks are embedded in global supply chains in ways most people don’t realise—from cosmetics to dog food to fertiliser. And much of it is hidden under ambiguous labels. The disconnect between what’s happening and what the public knows is staggering.More Informationhttps://www.friendsofkurrawyba.com/https://www.instagram.com/eyeinthewater/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557593740945https://theconversation.com/the-untold-story-of-shark-nets-in-australia-3748https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-30/shark-nets-out-nsw-beaches-permanent-removal-marine-animals/103779608https://hsi.org.au/marine-wildlife/sharks/https://www.robstewartsharkwaterfoundation.org/articles/caught-documentaryhttps://www.instagram.com/sharkdefencecampaign/If you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts.Leave us a comment and share this show with your friends.It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you.Contact the ShowWe are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events.You can email us at: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.