These curious sharks are victims of bycatch when they become entangled in fishing nets.
Nets are also intentionally used in Australia and South Africa to keep sharks away from beaches popular with people. There are also programmes of shark-culling at swimming hotspots, whereby any sharks trapped in nets or caught on baited lines are killed.
White shark teeth are highly prized for decoration and jewellery. Their fins are used in traditional Chinese medicine and the notorious shark fin soup. Removal of fins for this soup is one of the biggest threats to all oceanic shark stocks.
Despite measures introduced in the 1990s to protect the species, populations are thought to have declined by 30-40% over the last three generations according to the IUCN.
White sharks are estimated to live up to 73 years. Females take 30 years to reach sexual maturity and the average reproductive cycle is thought to take two to three years. This means populations take a long time to recover when they are disturbed.
Sadly, the greatest white sharks may be a thing of the past. With the species not living to such advanced ages, consequently they are not reaching their maximum size.
Recent research has also shown that climate change is pressuring the sharks to adapt. As sea temperatures rise, great white sharks are moving into new regions, with knock-on effects for threatened species including sea otters.
How to celebrate sharks
It’s hard not to hear the ominous two-note Jaws theme when someone mentions great white sharks, but we are beginning to adopt a new tune.
After decades of discoveries revealing the complex behaviour of these amazing animals, even Jaws author Peter Benchley became a dedicated campaigner for shark protection. ‘Sharks are nature at its most perfect. The most beautiful thing in the water you can imagine,’ he declared in 2000.
White sharks are essential to ecosystems, preventing overpopulation by other species and limiting the spread of diseases by preying on weaker animals. There are international wildlife agreements to protect them, from improved record-keeping of catches to best practice for the safe release of sharks caught by accident. But conservationists are calling for more action.
Researchers are currently investigating safety measures for beachgoers that have less of a negative impact on shark species, including the use of drones to monitor shark populations from above.
You can help great white sharks by making your voice heard by those with the power to make change. Look out for campaigns like Shark Trust’s Big Shark Pledge, and join likeminded people in advocating for a future where both people and sharks can thrive.
