EX PSA: Shark Week Spreads Awareness

Some of you may or may not have noticed that next week is ‘Shark Week’.  So, get excited! (insert Jaws theme here)

While many of us are packing our bags to head to the ocean, we bring along sunscreen to prevent sunburns & water to prevent dehydration.  We even brush up on our shark safety skills.  While we’re learning to punch and gouge in our defense, humans may be causing sharks more harm than we know.  

For the first time in 23 years of ‘Shark Week’, Discovery Channel is partnering with Oceana to shed light on the fact that Sharks are nearing the endangered species list due to Shark Finning practices.

The shark population has been depleted by 90% within the last 3 decades.  While some of us may take comfort in the fact that our own personal experience with Jaws is now less likely, a vital component of our marine life ecosystem is being destroyed.

So, if you happen to have a run in with a shark on your trip to the ocean this summer, cherish the moment before punching him in the nose and swimming away as fast as possible.