On the eve of this year’s Shark Week – and a few weeks ahead of a critical international conference where governments have the opportunity to better protect the Mako – Oceanographic Magazine speaks with two men fighting for the survival of the species: shark biologist Riley Elliott and conservation photographer Shawn Heinrichs.

Oceanographic Magazine (OM): Riley, what first inspired you to start studying – and diving with – sharks?

Riley Elliott (RE): To put it simply and honestly – fear. As a surfer, with only JAWS as an ‘education’, like most people, I was afraid of sharks. After my first interaction with a harmless one-foot-long shark that sent me running for the hills, I asked myself: “What is the shark? And is the fear justified?” Fear is real. We shouldn’t run away from its presence. We need to face it, understand why it’s there and address it.

OM: How do you help people move from that fear to a position of fascination?

RE: I say to people that you should feel fear when it comes to sharks. However, that fear should not be responded to with malice or hatred, rather respect. Sharks are incredible apex predators. The statistics prove they aren’t out there to hunt us. But unless you face the ‘boogieman’, the ‘under the bed’ unknown, we will continue to drive that fear in the wrong direction. To avoid that negligent naivety we need to be presented with fact, just like mum or dad did for you, when they made you look under the bed.

Personally, I went to the source. I wanted to find out what the shark was. That’s what turned my fear into a fascination. I learnt that sharks didn’t want to hunt me. They have existed longer than any other vertebrate on Earth. They are the doctors and garbage men of the sea. They maintain predator pressure on fish stocks to keep everything in balance. They have never had significant predators, and thus have very slow reproduction rates, which mean they simply cannot handle exploitation.

Upon ‘looking under the bed’ for sharks, the real fear was that we have been disrespecting a vital character of our ocean for too long. When you register that this animal literally ensures ocean function – the beating heart of our planet – the fear shifts, and it becomes clear that immediate correction on a global perspective is required.

OM: Shawn, how important a role does photography play in reshaping people’s attitudes towards sharks?

Shawn Heinrichs (SH): Historically, mainstream media has not been kind to sharks, portraying them as mindless man-eaters, monsters of the deep and ruthless predators to be feared. This highly inaccurate portrayal has fuelled a widespread irrational fear of sharks which has, in turn, resulted in apathy towards their plight. The truth is, sharks have far more to fear from us, than we from them. On average, six people die from shark bites each year compared to 100 million sharks slaughtered annually by humans. Sharks are naturally cautious animals and do their best to avoid humans. They can be curious and yes, they are formidable in their role as apex predators, but they are in no way seeking out humans as prey. Photography can play such a critical role in reshaping public perceptions about sharks by highlighting their beauty and magnificence, their curiosity and vulnerability. It can also shine a spotlight on the massive global exploitation that is driving many of their species to the brink of extinction.