Overfishing, or Removing a Marine Species at a Rate Too Excessive for It to Replace Itself, Is Not a New Phenomenon. One of the Earliest Examples Occurred in the Last Century When Nearly Three Million Cetaceans Were Wiped out by Whaling Fleets.

Each Year, Approximately 73 Million Sharks Are Killed in the Name of Finning for Profit, the Cruel and Exploitive Practice of Slicing Fins off Live Sharks Before Tossing the Creatures Back into the Sea, Where They Suffocate or Get Eaten by Other Predators. Most of These Fins Are Sent off to Asia, Where Shark Fin Soup Is Prized as a Symbol of Prosperity.

One Woman’s Lifelong Fascination with Sharks and What She’s Doing to Help Them

The Treasure Coast’s Proximity to the Gulf Stream Makes It a Haven for Transient and Pregnant Sharks That Use Its Estuarine and Offshore Areas for Protection, Hunting for Food, and Giving Birth to Their Pups. It’s Also Home to Several Threatened and Endangered Species, Including Great Hammerheads.

Unless You Live on Amity Island, You’re Extremely Unlikely to Be Attacked by a Shark

Immeasurable Insight Can Be Gained from Shark Diving—but All Dives Are Not Created Equal

The Bottom Line, Say Experts, Is That Without Sharks, Ocean Life Would Become Unbalanced—and the World Would Be a Drastically Different Place. “Sharks Perform a Great Service by Keeping Our Fish Stock Healthy and the Seas Free of Sick and Injured Animals, ” Says Overdorf.

Protecting the Ocean’s Top Predators

By Alexander Ross

• Oct 9, 2026 • 11 min read

Direct Answer • Key Takeaway

Sharks Are Enigmatic and Dexterous Creatures That Have Lived for Nearly 450 Million Year's, Survived Five Mass Extinctions, and Keep the Ocean’s Biodiversity Balanced. Without Them, Our Underwater Ecosystems Would Be in Jeopardy as Well as Food Security for Nations Around the World.

Alexander Ross

Gaming, Esports & Interactive Media Writer

Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.

Tags: protecting the oceans top predators