Hi friends! I’m Kelly— an Ocean First dive instructor, ocean hype girl, and someone who’s been blissfully blowing bubbles underwater for the past 20 years (10 of those as an instructor!). If there’s one thing I love more than teaching people how to dive, it’s helping them fall head over fins in love with the ocean. 

But I’ve noticed something over the years, especially when new students come in wide-eyed and a little hesitant.

“So… are there sharks down there?”

Cue the dun dun… dun dun… theme from Jaws.

Let’s talk about it.

When Fiction Swam Too Deep
Released in 1975, Jaws wasn’t just a summer blockbuster—it was a cultural tsunami. With its terrifying score, suspenseful underwater shots, and, of course, that famously misunderstood great white shark, Jaws reshaped how an entire generation viewed the ocean.

Instead of a place of wonder, mystery, and incredible biodiversity, the sea became something to fear. And sharks? They became movie monsters.

But here’s the kicker: Jaws wasn’t just entertainment. It had real-world consequences.

The Jaws Effect: Fact vs. Fiction
Peter Benchley, who wrote the original Jaws novel, later said he would never have written it had he known the harm it would cause. After the movie’s release, fear-fueled shark hunting skyrocketed. Shark tournaments gained popularity, and shark populations—already vulnerable—began to decline.

According to a 2003 study published in Conservation Biology, the perception of sharks shifted dramatically post-Jaws, reinforcing the notion that they were mindless man-eaters. This led to a surge in shark fishing—particularly of large species like the great white, tiger, and bull sharks.

Even worse, many of these hunts were purely for sport—not for food or sustainability.

Fast forward to today: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists over one-third of shark and ray species as threatened with extinction. That’s a jaw-dropping stat, and not in a good way.

 

 

Reel vs. Real: Sharks Deserve a Rewrite
Here’s the truth I wish everyone knew: Sharks are not lurking just below the surface, waiting to be the star in your own personal horror film.

In fact, you’re more likely to be injured by a toaster than a shark. (Seriously. The Florida Museum of Natural History's International Shark Attack File reports about 70–80 unprovoked shark bites worldwide per year—compared to millions of ocean users. The odds are literally one in 3.75 million.)

Now compare that to your odds of being injured by your toaster, which are way higher. Seriously—according to U.S. safety data, hundreds of people end up in the ER every year thanks to toaster mishaps. Burns, shocks, house fires… those crumb trays are no joke.

And in my 20 years of diving, I’ve had more close encounters with dangerous divers than sharks. Most sharks are shy, skittish, and absolutely essential to keeping our oceans healthy.
 

Changing the Narrative
Fortunately, the tide is turning. Documentaries like Sharkwater and Blue Planet have helped reframe sharks as majestic apex predators, not villains. And more people are realizing that what we see on screen isn’t always the whole story.

So next time someone says, “Aren’t you scared of sharks?” I smile and say, “Not at all. I’m scared of a world without them.”

Because when you dive beneath the surface—literally and figuratively—you realize how much more there is to love than fear.

 

Want to Talk Sharks in Person? 
Join us for our next Ocean First social night where we nerd out about all things marine life (and maybe show off some shark memes). We’d love to see you there!

Thursday, April 17, 2025

6:30 - 8:00 PM

Ocean First North | 3015 Bluff St

Free & open to all

Click here for event details & RSVP on Facebook

 

Sources:
Neff, C. & Hueter, R. (2013). Science, policy, and the public discourse of shark "attack": a proposal for reclassifying human–shark interactions. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences.
McCagh, C., Sneddon, J. & Blache, D. (2015). Killing sharks: The media's role in public and political response to fatal human–shark interactions. Marine Policy.
Florida Museum of Natural History – International Shark Attack File
IUCN Shark Specialist Group