Still today, this one species can instil fear in billions of people around the globe, but it’s not sharks we should be worried about. The human race is killing them at a rate that far exceeds their attacks on humankind. In my lifetime, it is not unlikely that I will see multiple species of shark disappear before my eyes.

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Over 100 million sharks are killed each year, and as I step foot into fish markets around the globe, I see with my own eyes what this looks like. I have seen more species of shark dead on the floor than I have ever seen alive in the water. I have seen a larger number of sharks slaughtered on the market floor in one day than all of my underwater sightings combined — after thousands of hours spent underwater. Think about that. I have spent years working in the ocean.

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Many factors are driving the demand for these apex predators, but the critical fact remains: they are essential to the health of our oceans, and without them, we will suffer.