An eye-opening presentation was held at the Horse and Groom,
Linby as Brendon Sing and Liz Ward-Sing addressed Hucknall Rotarians about
Shark and Marine conservation in what was the best attended club meeting for a
long while.
Due largely to the film ‘Jaws’, Sharks tend to be
misunderstood and are perceived as a threat and a real danger. Brendon and Liz founded the charity Shark Guardian a formed in 2013) to try and educate about the importance of
sharks in the ecosystem.
The Shark
Guardian presentation was interesting
and very educational evening. Using a
variety of multimedia slides and videos, the club learnt that there are over
500 species of sharks known in the world, and 30 species of sharks found in UK
waters. Sharks are to the ocean, what
Lions are to the jungle. Research has
shown that waters where Sharks populate also generate other forms of marine
life and produces much needed oxygen. Parts
of the ocean without any Shark presence also tend to be devoid of any other
life forms. So the role of Sharks in
their natural environment is vital to our own survival. There are more recorded deaths caused by the
misuse of toasters than caused by shark attacks. Despite the portrayal in films such as ‘Jaws’,
very few humans are attacked. When they
are, it is often a case of mistaken identity as Shark Guardian demonstrated
how, from below, the stiletto of a person on a surfboard would appear to the
Shark very similar to their natural prey of a seal or turtle. Usually, if a surfer is attacked, the Shark
quickly realises their mistake and moves away.
While many of us have learned to fear sharks,
they’re the ones who should fear us. People are sharks’ biggest predator. In
fact, humans kill more than 73 million sharks annually.
As a result, many shark species are endangered. Shark Fin fishing is a huge problem that is
decimating the populace and having an impact on the ocean’s ecosystem. Reproduction and gestation periods are also
quite lengthy which means that the shark population isn't seeing natural
biological growth.
The message from Shark Guardian is that in ‘Saving Our Sharks – We Save Ourselves.’ After the meeting Club president Ian Young
said, “Until tonight, I never realised the role that Sharks play in the system
of things. Brendon and Liz and their
team are doing an amazing job raising awareness to the plight of Sharks which
has to be addressed.” In the first year
of Shark Guardian, over 20,000 people have seen a presentation made by the
charity. Further details can be found
at www.sharkguardian.org/
President Ian Young (Centre) is pictured with Brendon Sing
and Liz Ward-Sing
